Febe Pamonag

Dr. Febe Pamonag is a Professor of History at Western Illinois University (WIU), specializing in Asian history with focuses on women's movements, imperial medicine, and the history of food. She joined WIU in 2007 and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta (2006). Her research examines colonial health policies, social activism in the Philippines under U.S. rule, and the global history of disease.

Education: Ph.D. in History, University of Alberta, 2006.

Research interests include the intersection of medicine and imperialism, particularly leprosy treatment in early 20th-century Philippines, and the role of food in socio-cultural contexts. She has published in Pacific Historical Review, U.S.-Japan Women’s Journal, and Social Science Diliman, with a forthcoming book from the University of Illinois Press. Her work bridges colonial history, public health, and gender studies.

Grants/Awards: NEH Fellowships (202?), Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad (2013), WIU Research Council Grants (2×), and Phi Alpha Theta advisorships. Her research on Hansen’s disease activism received NEH support.

Advising: Supervised over a dozen students whose works have won awards, including Burton Writing Awards and WIU Graduate Research accolades. Notable advisees include Aaron Kennelly (China-WIU cultural studies) and Leia Hastings (historical video games).

Labs/Teams: Serves as President of the Western Association of Women Historians and co-advisor for Phi Alpha Theta. Engages in interdisciplinary collaborations on global health history and digital humanities projects.