Susan Paalman has spent much of her adult life being formed by St. John’s College. She came to the college after a thorough education in the life sciences, earning her BA in biology and biochemistry from Rice University and completing her doctoral work in biophysics and biophysical chemistry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Paalman applied to St. John’s after hearing mention of the college while on a tourist visit to Annapolis. Eva Brann appointed her to the faculty in 1997, and she has always been grateful for what she sees as Ms. Brann’s risky choice in appointing her.  

Paalman has participated in many faculty study groups related to natural philosophy or science, including groups on thermodynamics, Hamiltonian physics, the psychology of embodiment, and ecology and evolution. In all of those groups, she worked to develop an understanding of the roots of the discipline she had studied in her early career. The more she read, the better she felt she understood the scientific project. She filled in this understanding in 2011 with curricular work on the St. John’s senior laboratory spring semester syllabus, which focuses on living things.  

In addition, Paalman participated in the Advanced Laboratory Physics Association (ALPhA)’s Laboratory Immersion experience in quantum optics at Colgate University in June 2016. One of the joys of her life was when she and her St. John’s colleagues received the best results of all the groups from other schools on the Bell’s theorem practicum. This St. John’s tutor group used their newly acquired skills to bring quantum optics practica to the senior laboratory class, along with new and adjusted readings to help demystify the quantum world for students.  

Laboratory studies are not Paalman’s only love. She has participated in other faculty study groups over the years, focusing on the poetry of John Donne, the philosophy of Heidegger, and Shakespeare’s plays, among others. Her great appreciation for the whole Program blossomed as she achieved her goal of teaching every class on the undergraduate Program, including serving as the director of Freshman Chorus for four years (2017-21).  

Paalman has served in various administrative positions, including as assistant dean (2009-13), dean (2023-2025), and now, interim president (2025-present). She is excited to spread the news of St. John’s’ amazing Program of study and enlivening pedagogy in her latest role at the college.