Megan R. Boomer

Megan R. Boomer is an Assistant Professor of Art and Visual Culture at Bates College, with an additional affiliation in the Classical and Medieval Studies program. Her research focuses on the medieval Mediterranean, particularly how sacred spaces shaped historical memories and communities.

Education:

• PhD, University of Pennsylvania (2019)

Boomer’s work investigates medieval architectural design, decoration, and use in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099–1187) and Fatimid shrines in Egypt and Palestine. She also explores the visual culture of Arabic-speaking Christian communities and twentieth-century representations of the Crusades.

Scientific Awards:

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Getty Research Institute
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Columbia University

At Bates, she teaches courses such as The Art of Islam, Medieval Architecture, and Senior Thesis in Classical and Medieval Studies. Her current book project, Reconstructing the Holy Land, synthesizes architectural analysis, lost iconography, and textual sources to examine the evolution of sacred sites during the Crusader period.