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Matt King is an Associate Professor and Graduate Director in the Department of History at the University of South Florida (USF), within the College of Arts and Sciences. He specializes in medieval Mediterranean history, digital humanities, and the Crusades era, particularly focusing on Norman-Sicily and Zirid-Ifriqiya relations. King holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota (2018) and teaches courses on medieval history, digital methods, and historical pedagogy. His research explores the interconnectedness of medieval Mediterranean polities, leveraging Arabic and Latin sources alongside digital tools like the Old World Drought Atlas. His first book, Dynasties Intertwined (2022), examines Zirid-Norman relations. He has co-authored translations of al-Idrisi’s geography and is currently researching the historical perception of goblins. Education: Ph.D., University of Minnesota (2018); M.A. (2014), B.A. (2012) in History and Latin. King’s teaching emphasizes active learning and digital humanities, including workshops for K-12 educators. He has received grants totaling over $40,000 for research and community projects. Awards include the Outstanding Graduate Instructor Award (UMN, 2018) and the Subvention Award (USF, 2022). His publications span peer-reviewed journals (e.g., Journal of North African Studies , The History Teacher ) and edited volumes, with a focus on medieval Mediterranean dynamics, digital pedagogy, and environmental history. King advises graduate students in medieval Mediterranean history, emphasizing research in Arabic, Latin, or Greek. He is involved in digital initiatives, including departmental websites and archaeological 3D modeling projects.

• Medieval History
• Crusades Studies
• Digital Humanities
• +3 more

Ali Karjoo-Ravary is the Richard W. Bulliet Assistant Professor of Islamic History at Columbia University, specializing in the intellectual, social, and visual histories of premodern Islam through Arabic, Persian, and Turkic sources. His research intersects historical writing, cosmology, Sufism, and multilingual poetry in the Islamic East (Mashriq). Education: Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania (2018) M.A., University of Pennsylvania (2016) B.A., SUNY Stony Brook (2011) His current book project, Muhammad’s Song: Politics, Performance, and Cosmology in the Fourteenth Century , examines post-Mongol Islamic monarchy through Kadi Burhaneddin's life and rule. He also explores Sufi visual iconography, science fiction's relationship to religion, and architecture's role in evolving Islamic discourses. Scientific Awards and Fellowships: Bard Graduate Center Visiting Fellow (Fall 2020) Wolf Humanities Center Graduate Research Fellow (2016-2017)

• Islamic History
• Intellectual History
• Social History
• +8 more

Reyhan Durmaz is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, affiliated with the School of Arts & Sciences and multiple interdisciplinary programs. Her research focuses on Syriac Christianity, medieval religious dynamics, and the intersection of Christianity and Islam in late antiquity. She holds a Ph.D. from Brown University (2019) and has received prestigious fellowships such as the Dumbarton Oaks Junior Fellowship and the Charlotte Newcombe Dissertation Fellowship. Her seminal book Stories between Christianity and Islam (2022) examines the transmission of saints' stories between religious traditions, earning Honorable Mention from the Middle East Medievalists. Current projects include a study of rural Christianity in the medieval Middle East through soldier-monk narratives and an analysis of the 19th-century Arabic newspaper Kawkab America . She co-leads the Digital Photograph Archive project Visualizing Countryside , documenting medieval religious sites. Dr. Durmaz teaches courses on global Christianity, material culture, and late antiquity, and serves as co-chair of the Philadelphia Seminar on Christian Origins. Her work bridges historical analysis, textual scholarship, and digital humanities, addressing themes of religious identity, cultural exchange, and marginalized communities.

• Syriac Christianity
• Medieval Studies
• Byzantine Studies
• +7 more

Prita Meier is an Associate Professor of Art History at New York University's College of Arts & Science , affiliated with the Department of Art History & the Institute of Fine Arts. Her work bridges African art history, Indian Ocean world studies, and global modernity frameworks. Education: Ph.D. (2007) in History of Art, Harvard University M.A. (2000) in History of Art, University of Iowa B.A. (1996) in Art History, University of Florida Research Interests focus on the visual and architectural cultures of Africa, particularly Swahili Coast port cities, exploring globalization's cultural dimensions, Islamic art, and photography histories. Her work interrogates spatial-temporal dynamics in African modernity and colonial art frameworks. Scientific Awards include CASVA Senior Fellowship, NEH Implementation Grant (with Allyson Purpura), Mellon Collaborative Grant (with Kenny Cupers), Clark Art Institute Residential Fellowship, and Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship. Notably, she declined the National Humanities Center Fellowship and Stanford Humanities Fellows Program. Publications highlight Indian Ocean trade networks, Swahili Coast architecture, and photography's global circulation. Recent works (2020-2017) examine infrastructure as identity, oceanic materiality, and itinerant art historiography. Earlier articles (2016-2009) analyze porcelain trade, modernist discontents, and Swahili funerary practices. Contact: spm9@nyu.edu | 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003

• Art and architecture of Africa
• Port cities and visual cultures of the Indian Ocean world
• Comparative urbanism
• +4 more

Margaret Graves is the Adrienne Minassian Associate Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at Brown University’s History of Art and Architecture department, serving as Director of Graduate Study. She holds a PhD, MSc, and MA from the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on Islamic art and material culture, particularly medieval and modern acts of making, forgery, and colonial-era craft reform. Notable works include Arts of Allusion (2018), winner of major prizes, and her forthcoming Invisible Hands on 19th/20th-century ceramics forgery. Research interests span medieval Islamic intellectual history, colonial antiquities markets, and collaborations with conservators. Teaching includes courses on cultural heritage, museum studies, and Islamic art historiography. Awards include the 2019 International Center of Medieval Studies Book Prize and the 2021 Karen Gould Prize. Current projects explore postcolonial craft legacies, international banking ties to antiquities markets, and occult sciences in medieval craftsmanship.

• Islamic Art and Architecture
• Medieval Art
• Material Culture
• +3 more

Erika Naginski is the Robert P. Hubbard Professor of Architectural History at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design (GSD), Department of Architecture. She is affiliated with the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture. Prior to joining the GSD, she taught at MIT and the University of Michigan, and held fellowships at Harvard’s Society of Fellows, the Radcliffe Institute, and the Clark Art Institute. Her research explores Baroque/Enlightenment architecture, early modern aesthetic philosophy, and public space theories. Key projects include analyzing the intersection of architecture with art history, the philosophical foundations of medium studies, and the socio-political dimensions of public art during revolutionary periods. Recent work focuses on eighteenth-century conceptions of history and archaeology. Naginski’s courses include Architecture and its Texts (1650-1800) , The Shapes of Utopia , and The Ruin Aesthetic , emphasizing critical discourse and historical methodologies. She has published extensively on topics such as Piranesi’s influence, utopian spatial concepts, and the role of ruins in architectural thought. Awards: Guggenheim Fellowship (2007) for her study on architecture, archaeology, and historical conception. Editorial Roles: Serves on the editorial board of Res . Labs/Teams: Active in the Aga Khan Program’s interdisciplinary initiatives on Islamic architecture.

• Architectural History
• Aesthetic Philosophy
• Baroque and Enlightenment Architecture
• +3 more

Hsueh-man Shen is the Director of Masters Studies and Ehrenkranz Associate Professor in World Art at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts. She holds a D.Phil. from Oxford University in Archaeology, an M.A. in Art History from National Taiwan University, and an LL.B. in Law from the same institution. Her research focuses on medieval Chinese art and archaeology, particularly how cross-cultural exchanges shaped artistic practices through translation, replication, and hybridization. She has curated major exhibitions such as Gilded Splendor: Treasures of China’s Liao Empire (2006) and contributed to the Cave Temples of Dunhuang project (2016), emphasizing Silk Road cultural networks. Her current book project explores maritime activities’ impact on Buddhist art during the 10th–14th centuries. Shen’s work bridges art history, archaeology, and material culture studies, addressing topics like relic deposits, shipwrecks, and cross-cultural curatorial practices. She has held prestigious fellowships, including the Leiden University Hulsewé-Waznieski Professorship (2019) and a Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin residency (2008–2009). Education: D.Phil., Archaeology, University of Oxford M.A., Art History, National Taiwan University LL.B., Law, National Taiwan University Her research interests include Buddhist art’s transformation across dynasties, the role of replication in devotion, and maritime trade’s influence on cultural boundaries. She teaches courses such as Colors in the Visual Culture of Medieval China and Shipwrecks and the ‘Other’ Silk Road , integrating theoretical and material perspectives. Shen’s awards reflect her global academic contributions, including the EURIAS Senior Fellowship (2018–2019) and Progress 100 Visiting Professorship at Kyushu University (2017). Her publications span exhibition catalogues, monographs like Authentic Replicas: Buddhist Art in Medieval China (2019), and peer-reviewed articles analyzing Silk Road networks, Liao dynasty funerary practices, and cross-cultural material exchanges.

• Medieval Chinese Art and Archaeology
• Cross-Cultural Exchanges
• Buddhist Art
• +3 more

Finbarr Barry Flood is the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of the Humanities and Founder-Director of the Silsila: Center for Material Histories at NYU's Institute of Fine Arts. He holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Art History from the University of Edinburgh (1993) and a B.A. in Archaeology from Trinity College Dublin (1988). His research focuses on Islamic art and architecture, cross-cultural material culture, and art historical methodologies. Notably, he has held prestigious fellowships such as the Slade Professorship at Oxford and ACLS Collaborative Research Fellowship. His work bridges global art histories, examining topics like medieval Hindu-Muslim encounters, iconoclasm, and the materiality of religious artifacts. Flood’s scholarly contributions include seminal books like Objects of Translation and The Great Mosque of Damascus . His awards reflect both academic excellence and teaching prowess, including NYU's Golden Dozen Award. As director of Silsila, he leads interdisciplinary research into material histories, fostering collaborations across disciplines and regions. His publications span 40+ years, addressing themes from medieval art technologies to modern reinterpretations of Islamic aesthetics.

• Art and architecture of the Islamic world
• Cross-cultural dimensions of Islamic material culture
• Theories and practices of image-making
• +3 more

Gaurav Khanna is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Rhode Island (URI) and serves as the Director of Research Computing at URI. He is a key member of the UMass-URI Gravity Research Consortium (U²GRC), a collaborative effort between the gravity research groups at URI and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth focused on gravitational physics research. Dr. Khanna earned his Ph.D. in Physics from Pennsylvania State University in 2000 and his B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India in 1995. His academic journey reflects a strong foundation in both theoretical physics and engineering principles that inform his current research. His primary research focuses on theoretical and computational aspects of gravitational physics, particularly the coalescence of binary black hole systems using perturbation theory and estimation of emitted gravitational radiation properties. This work is directly relevant to the NSF LIGO laboratory and upcoming space-borne gravitational wave detection missions. His research spans black holes, gravitational waves, quantum gravity, and high-performance scientific computing. Dr. Khanna has developed advanced computational techniques for modeling extreme mass ratio inspirals and has made significant contributions to understanding black hole singularities in both classical and quantum gravity frameworks. Dr. Khanna has published nearly 100 research papers in top international journals and secured over $2 million in research funding. His work has been featured in prominent media outlets including Nature Magazine, Quanta Magazine, and Physics World. He has advised numerous graduate students, with Tousif Islam (Ph.D. '24) receiving an honorable mention in the GWIC-Braccini Thesis Prize, and Som Bishoyi earning UMass Dartmouth's Research in the Media Award. American Physical Society Fellow As Director of Research Computing, Dr. Khanna oversees high-performance computing resources and provides expertise in parallel and scientific computing. His work with the U²GRC involves collaboration with major research groups including the Simulating Extreme Spacetimes (SXS) Collaboration, Kavli Institute for Astrophysics at MIT, Black Hole Initiative at Harvard, and the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics in Germany. The consortium's research is funded through multiple National Science Foundation grants, NASA, and private foundations.

• Black Holes
• Gravitational Waves
• General Relativity
• +4 more

Amy G. Remensnyder is Professor of History and Giancarlo Family Provost's Professor of History at Brown University, where she has taught since 1993. She also holds the Royce Family Professor of Teaching Excellence title, reflecting her commitment to pedagogy. Her research focuses on medieval Europe, particularly the cultural and religious history of the Mediterranean, with emphasis on Muslim-Christian relations, monastic memory, and the global history of captivity. PhD, University of California, Berkeley (1992) A.B. summa cum laude, Harvard University (1983) Additional studies at Cambridge University and École des Hautes Études, Paris Her research interests include medieval Iberia, colonial Mexico, religious symbolism, transcultural history, and the role of memory in identity formation. She explores how religious figures like the Virgin Mary functioned as symbols of conquest, conversion, and interfaith entanglement. Her work bridges medieval and early modern periods, challenging disciplinary boundaries and incorporating insights from art history, anthropology, and literary studies. Her recent articles reveal a sustained engagement with themes of religious coexistence, sacred space, and cross-cultural devotion in the Mediterranean world. She examines how Muslim and Christian sailors shared shrines, how Moriscos developed their own Marian scriptures, and how Mary symbolized both war and diplomacy. Her scholarship combines deep archival research with theoretical sophistication, contributing to fields such as oceanic history, borderland studies, and the history of emotion. Van Courtland Elliott Prize (Medieval Academy of America) Fellow, Medieval Academy of America Berlin Prize, American Academy in Berlin Guggenheim Fellowship ACLS/SSRC/NEH Fellowship William G. McLoughlin Award for Teaching Excellence Remensnyder has directed major research initiatives and served on editorial boards, including Al-Masāq: Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean . She founded and directs the Brown History Education Prison Project, reflecting her commitment to engaged scholarship. She has received funding from the Swearer Center and has developed innovative courses on captivity and medieval lyric. Her leadership includes directing Brown’s Program in Medieval Studies (2010–2012) and serving on the Medieval Academy of America’s council. She is currently working on three book projects: Island of Trust in a Sea of Danger: Lampedusa , a maritime microhistory; Neighbors: Life in a Medieval Borderland , an archival study of Muslim-Christian relations in Iberia; and A Global History of Captivity , a synthetic overview of captivity across time and space.

• Medieval History
• Cultural History
• Religious History
• +13 more

James Delbourgo is the James Westfall Thompson Distinguished Professor in the Department of History at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, where he has been teaching since 2008. His academic journey includes education at Reigate Grammar School, University of East Anglia (B.A., 1996), Cambridge University (M.Phil., 1997), and Columbia University (Ph.D., 2003). Prior to Rutgers, he taught at McGill and Harvard Universities. Delbourgo specializes in the Early Modern Atlantic World with particular focus on the history of science, collecting practices, and museums. His research examines how objects move across cultural boundaries and the historical development of collecting as both intellectual pursuit and cultural phenomenon. He has made significant contributions to understanding the relationship between scientific knowledge, imperial expansion, and material culture in the Atlantic World. His scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on the cultural dimensions of collecting, with recent work expanding into contemporary collecting practices and their psychological dimensions. The publications show increasing engagement with global perspectives on collecting, moving from Atlantic World contexts to broader global and contemporary frameworks, while maintaining his core interest in the intersection of science, empire, and material culture. Hughes Prize for best scholarly book in history of science accessible to the general public (2019) Annibel Jenkins Biography Prize (2019) Leo Gershoy Award (2018) Louis Gottschalk Prize (2018) Book of the Week in major UK publications (2017) Apollo Magazine Book of the Year (2017) Delbourgo has received significant research support including fellowships from the American Philosophical Society/British Academy, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. His teaching includes undergraduate courses on Science, Collecting and Power; Science and Society; Age of Enlightenment; and Development of US I. While specific doctoral students aren't listed in the provided text, his extensive publication record and book projects suggest significant mentorship of graduate researchers.

• Early Modern Atlantic World
• History of Science
• Collecting and Museums
• +2 more

Anna Bigelow is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Graduate Studies at Stanford University. Her research focuses on Islamic Studies, South Asian and Middle Eastern Religions, emphasizing material culture and sacred spaces. She holds a BA from Smith College, MA from Columbia University, and PhD from UC Santa Barbara. Current projects include a comparative study of shared sacred sites in India and Turkey, exploring secularism's intersection with religious practices. Her notable works include Sharing the Sacred: Practicing Pluralism in Muslim North India (2010) and Islam through Objects (2021). She co-edited a special issue on Material Islam for the journal MAVCOR . Her research has been supported by the Carnegie Scholars Program and the Social Science Research Council. Bigelow advises graduate students on contemporary topics like Muslim minority populations, sacred space, and secularism. She emphasizes interdisciplinary methods combining ethnography, archival work, and cultural analysis. She collaborates with the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies and the Center for South Asia at Stanford. Her articles analyze themes such as material religion, Sufi shrines, and postcolonial identities. She actively critiques the academic job market’s challenges, advising applicants to consider program fit and financial realities.

• Islamic Studies
• South Asian Religions
• Middle Eastern Religions
• +6 more

Brian A. Catlos is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder and Research Associate in Humanities at the University of California Santa Cruz. He serves as Director of the CU Mediterranean Studies Group and Co-Director of The Mediterranean Seminar, an international scholarly forum with over 1,900 members worldwide. His academic appointments span multiple disciplines including Religious Studies, History, Ethnic Studies, Asian Languages and Civilizations, and Jewish Studies. Dr. Catlos specializes in Christian-Muslim-Jewish relations, Medieval Mediterranean history, and ethno-religious minorities in pre-modern contexts. His research focuses on the complex dynamics of religious and ethnic identity in medieval Europe and the Islamic world, particularly in the Iberian Peninsula. He explores how religious minorities navigated political power structures while maintaining cultural and religious identities under majority rule. His publications reveal a consistent focus on challenging simplistic narratives about religious conflict in medieval Mediterranean societies. Rather than portraying these societies as defined primarily by religious division, his work emphasizes the practical accommodations, economic interdependencies, and complex identities that characterized daily life across religious boundaries. His research demonstrates how religious identity often functioned alongside other social markers like language, profession, and regional affiliation. Catlos has received numerous prestigious awards including the Medieval Academy of America's Charles Homer Haskins Medal (2018), the Middle East Studies Association's Albert Hourani Book Prize (2014), and a 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship. His books have been translated into numerous languages including Spanish, German, Polish, Korean, Russian, and Chinese. 2024 Guggenheim Fellow Medieval Academy of America's Charles Homer Haskins Medal (2018) Middle East Studies Association's Albert Hourani Book Prize (2014) American Historical Association's James A. Rawley Prize American Historical Association's Premio del Rey Boulder Faculty Association Award for Excellence in Research (2015) As an educator, Catlos mentors MA students interested in Mediterranean Studies and Christian-Muslim-Jewish relations, with recent students securing fully-funded PhD positions at Princeton, Brown, and Rochester. He has received multiple teaching and leadership awards from the Boulder Faculty Association. His current research includes 'An Age of Convergence: Christians, Muslims and Jews in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean' and 'James the Conqueror: A Crusader King in an Age of Faith and Reason.'

• Christian-Muslim-Jewish relations
• Medieval Mediterranean history
• Ethno-religious minorities
• +9 more

Teofilo F. Ruiz is a Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and holds the Peter H. Reill Term Chair in European History . He earned his Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1974, following a B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) from City College, CUNY, and an M.A. from New York University. Education: Ph.D. in History, Princeton University (1974) M.A. in History, New York University (1970) B.A. in History, City College, CUNY (1969) Professor Ruiz specializes in the social and cultural history of late medieval and early modern Castile, with a focus on popular culture , urban history, and religious interactions. His recent research includes a synthetic examination of medieval poverty, studies on Moriscos in 16th-century Spain, and analyses of political rituals and economic structures in medieval and early modern Europe. Key trends in his publications include: Interdisciplinary analysis of political power and cultural symbolism in ritual entries (e.g., Zaragoza, Seville). Exploration of interfaith dynamics and ethnic identity in medieval Spain. Focus on economic history through case studies of urban centers like Seville and Granada. Investigation of historical geography in medieval urban development. Scientific Awards include: Elected member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2013) Guggenheim Fellow (2007-2008) National Humanities Medal (2011-2012) Premio del Rey, American Historical Association (1995) Carnegie Foundation's Outstanding Master’s Professor of the Year (1994-1995) NEH Fellowship (1983-1984) His grants include fellowships from the Institute for Advanced Study and the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales . Ruiz has also contributed to encyclopedic works , including the International Encyclopaedia for the Middle Ages – Online , and served as a visiting professor at Princeton and other institutions.

• Late Medieval History
• Early Modern European History
• Social History
• +6 more

Rudi Matthee is the John and Dorothy Munroe Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Delaware's College of Arts & Sciences, specializing in Middle Eastern and Iranian history. His work focuses on early modern Iran, particularly the Safavid period, examining trade, cultural practices, and political dynamics. He has authored influential books such as *The Politics of Trade in Safavid Iran* (1999), *The Pursuit of Pleasure* (2005), and *Persia in Crisis* (2012). Additionally, he co-edited volumes like *The Safavid World* (2021) and contributed to studies on Safavid-Spanish relations, Russian-Iranian diplomacy, and monetary history. Matthee's accolades include the Albert Hourani Book Prize (2006), the Saidi Sirjani Award (2004-2005), and the British-Kuwaiti Friendship Book Prize (2012). He has held leadership roles in academic organizations, serving twice as president of the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies and currently leading the Persian Heritage Foundation. His research bridges economic, cultural, and political history, offering insights into Iran's global connections and internal transformations. His publications analyze themes ranging from alcohol consumption in Islamic societies to the economic underpinnings of empires, showcasing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding premodern and early modern Iran. His work underscores the importance of Iran's role in broader Eurasian and global historical narratives.

• Middle Eastern History
• Early Modern Iran
• Persian Gulf Trade
• +4 more