LIMESTONE, Maine — The Maine School of Science and Mathematics recently announced its five new faculty members.
Dr. Helena Brigman will share her writing skills, having most recently taught at the Vinalhaven School; Dr. Richard Barrans comes to MSSM after spending two years in Malawi, Africa, as a Peace Corps volunteer; Daniel Melega returns to MSSM after spending two years in Ohio at Miami University earning his master’s degree in history; Anthony Scott joins the staff full time after teaching creative writing at the University of Maine Presque Isle; and Amber Jesky is the school’s first international coordinator to oversee the needs of non-resident students.
Brigman graduated from Louisiana State University in 2015, where she received her doctor of philosophy in English and women’s and gender studies. Before joining MSSM, she taught English at the Vinalhaven School, LSU and Columbia College.
An early participant in MSSM’s Summer Camp, Brigman said she is excited to be back and part of MSSM’s community.
Barrans graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a BA in natural science, and then attended graduate school at the California Institute of Technology, where he studied physical organic chemistry under Professor Dennis. A. Dougherty. His dissertation research was in the field of aqueous molecular recognition chemistry.
Melega spent the last two years in Ohio earning his master’s degree in history at Miami University, and has returned “home” to MSSM. He instructs and oversees the school’s United States history program. Prior to Miami, he spent six years as MSSM’s history and social science instructor, advised the school’s Youth-in-Government program and served as the resident pun expert.
Scott comes to MSSM with seven years of experience in teaching college composition, creative writing and other classes at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, as well as classes at Northern Maine Community College. When he’s not teaching or writing, he can be found kayaking or snowshoeing with his family or performing classic American tunes with his band, Star City Syndicate.
Jesky worked most recently as a behavior specialist at Ironwood, a private residential facility and school located in Morrill; served as a patrol officer for the Limestone Police Department from 2013-2015; and she has over 14 years’ experience teaching English at Bradenton Preparatory Academy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as well as Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro, Maine.
The school’s new instructors join the veteran staff of over 20 full- and part-time faculty and 153 students representing all 16 Maine counties and three countries. For the first time in MSSM’s 22-year history, officials said, female students now outnumber the male students.
