This fall, we welcome our newest Area Chairs in our “Area Chair Spotlight” series!
Meet Heather, who is currently Interim Department Chair and Masters Instructor of Math at Missouri Southern State University. Heather leads SWPACA’s new Subject Area in Math & Engineering in Popular Culture, debuting at our conference in February 2026!
📍 How did you first become involved with SWPACA, and what drew you to take on a leadership role as an Area Chair?
I first attended SWPACA in 2025 after being encouraged to present a paper on the intersection of mathematics and Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo by my friend and mentor Howie. I had an extremely positive experience and loved hearing from so many different people and seeing their enjoyment in math. I noticed there wasn’t a math specific area and wanted to start one to help show how mathematics is an integral part of popular culture.
📍 What excites you most about Math & Engineering in Popular Culture and its place within the broader field of popular/American culture studies right now?
Mathematics has always been relegated to the classroom and is often given a bad rap. I want to encourage others to see math as the beautiful, intriguing reality that it is. Mathematics is literally everywhere and integrated into everything. By better understanding math, we can deepen our appreciation for popular culture.
📍 What are your goals or hopes for your Area?
My hope for this Math/Engineering area is to bring mathematics out of the classroom and into the world we actually live in. I want people to know that math isn’t just about computations; it includes geometry, angles, symmetry, logic, ratios, knot theory, chaos theory, etc. Math is present in literature and music and film, and by examining the math around us we can come away with new ways of experiencing these different mediums.
📍 How does your own research or teaching intersect with the themes of your area?
Because of my experience at SWPACA 2025, I’m currently researching how mathematics intersects with Alfred Hitchcock films and am planning on writing a book over my findings. I am also continually researching how mathematics arises from the depths in horror films.
📍 If you could organize a dream SWPACA panel, what would the topic be?
A dream SWPACA panel…I’d love to see a full panel of how mathematics impacts the horror genre, but that’s probably a selfish desire stemming from my love of both mathematics and horror. I’m also extremely excited to see what presenters bring me. Because math can be found anywhere and everywhere, there are literally infinite possibilities for this area, and I’m excited to see what emerges when math is freed from its academic shackles and released into the world of popular culture.
📢 Join Heather and the Math & Engineering in Popular Culture Area at SWPACA 2026! Submit your proposal today at swpaca.org!
