Deirdre Longacher Smeltzer, Professor of Mathematics and Director of Cross-cultural Programs, has been teaching at EMU since 1998. Prior to 1998, she spent four years as an assistant professor in the Mathematics Department at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Deirdre is an alumna of EMU, where she majored in mathematics, with a Bible minor. She earned an M.S. and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Virginia; Deirdre’s graduate research was in the area of algebraic coding theory. Recent scholarly interests have included exploring other branches of combinatorics and the co-authoring of an MAA-published book, Methods for Euclidean Geometry. A 2006 sabbatical was spent teaching and writing in China; Deirdre plans to return to China in the fall of 2013, leading a group of students on a cross-cultural trip. Deirdre is married to Sherwyn Smeltzer, has two daughters, and enjoys reading, cooking, exercise, and travel.

Linda brings a passion for international study as part of a complete liberal arts education to her work with Cross-cultural Programs. Her experiences prior to coming to EMU include social work practice, community development, grant writing, teaching and team building as well as other recreational programming. She and her husband have two children and two dogs.