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Professor Beth Williamson is a leading scholar of medieval culture, holding dual roles as Professor of Medieval Culture and Chair in the History of Art at the University of Bristol's Department of History of Art (Historical Studies), and as Academic Director (Research Impact & Translation Partnerships) within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law. She earned her B.A. from Oxford University (Oxon), an M.A., and a Ph.D. from the University of London (Lond.). Her research focuses on visual, material, and aural dimensions of medieval religious practice, exploring how sensory experiences shaped devotional life. Key themes include sacred imagery (e.g., the Virgin Lactans and Madonna of Humility), liturgical spaces, and the intersection of art with music, time, and political power. Recent projects include studies of Westminster Abbey’s royal patronage and collaborations in interdisciplinary historical research. Her publications span over three decades, addressing topics from Italian Renaissance altarpieces to Irish medieval sculpture, with a strong emphasis on material culture and devotional practices. Despite her prolific output, no formal awards are listed, though her academic leadership roles reflect her scholarly impact. As a mentor, her supervisory activities are noted in her profile but lack specific student names. Her work bridges academic and public spheres, particularly through her role in translating research into societal impact initiatives. She is affiliated with the University of Bristol’s Senate House and contributes to institutional leadership.

• Medieval Culture
• Visual Culture
• Material Culture
• +4 more

Caroline Goodson is a Professor of Early Medieval History at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of King’s College. She holds a dual affiliation with the American Academy in Rome as the Andrew H. Mellon Humanities Professor (2024-2026). Her work bridges history, archaeology, and material culture studies, focusing on early medieval Mediterranean polities and urban dynamics. Education: BFA from Rhode Island School of Design (1997), PhD in Art History and Archaeology from Columbia University (2004). Prior to Cambridge, she taught at Birkbeck College, University of London (2005–2017). Research interests include urban archaeology, medieval power structures, and the interplay between material culture and political authority. She has led excavations at sites like Villa Magna in Italy and authored influential works on papal urbanism and medieval garden spaces. Recent publications include Cultivating the City in Early Medieval Italy (2021) and edited volumes such as Graphic Signs of Identity, Faith, and Power (2017). Her current work explores environmental impacts on medieval urban life. Awardee of the Rome Prize (2003) and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (2010), she serves on editorial boards for Speculum and Oxford Studies in Medieval European History .

• Early Medieval History
• Urban Archaeology
• Material Culture Studies
• +3 more

Alexandra Walsham is Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Emmanuel College. She previously held roles as Chair of the Faculty of History (2019-2022) and currently serves as President of the Historical Association. Her academic roots include a PhD from Trinity College, Cambridge, following studies at the University of Melbourne and Exeter University. Her research focuses on religious and cultural history of early modern Britain, particularly the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. Key themes include post-Reformation Catholicism, religious tolerance, providence, miracles, the history of the book, and the relationship between religion and landscape. Her work has been supported by grants from the British Academy, AHRC, and the Leverhulme Trust. Walsham has authored award-winning books like Providence in Early Modern England and The Reformation of the Landscape , and edited volumes on topics such as archives, memory, and confessional history. She has delivered prestigious lectures including the Ford Lectures at Oxford (2018) and the Wiles Lectures at Queen’s University Belfast (2024). Her professional service includes editorial roles for Past and Present and the Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History series. She led the AHRC-funded 'Remembering the Reformation' project (2016-2019) and chairs the Early Modern Section of the British Academy. Awarded a CBE in 2017 and an honorary doctorate from Melbourne in 2023, Walsham’s work bridges academic rigor and public engagement, influencing both scholarly discourse and historical education.

• Early Modern British History
• Religious History
• Cultural History
• +5 more

Michele Matteini serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Art History at New York University's College of Arts and Science, specializing in Late Imperial Chinese painting and material culture (ca. 1400-1800) with focus on Qing dynasty antiquarianism, collecting practices, and eighteenth-century transnational artistic exchanges. His academic credentials include: Ph.D. (2012) in History of Art from the Institute of Fine Arts M.A. (2004) in History of Art from New York University B.A. (2000) summa cum laude from the University of Venice, Ca’ Foscari Research interests encompass Late Imperial Chinese painting, antiquarianism, collecting culture, Qing history, urban culture, inter-Asian artistic exchanges, eighteenth-century globalism, craft traditions, embodied knowledge, and art historical methodology. His interdisciplinary approach bridges anthropology, religious studies, and art history to examine material culture across East Asia. Recent publications reveal consistent thematic focus on eighteenth-century material practices, analyzing antiquarian objects, historical figure cults, and cross-cultural artistic production. Works integrate art historical analysis with anthropological perspectives on topics like rock collecting, filial piety, and sacred materiality, demonstrating how objects functioned within social and global contexts. His scholarly recognition includes: The Andrew Mellon Foundation Fellowship for Assistant Professors, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton (2013-2014) Ittleson Fellowship, Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art (2007-2009) Panofsky Distinguished Fellowship, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University (2002-2007) Matteini's research has been supported by major fellowships from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and National Gallery of Art. While current advising activities and grant projects beyond these fellowships are not detailed in available sources, his extensive publication record indicates sustained scholarly productivity focused on East Asian material culture.

• Late Imperial Chinese painting and material culture
• antiquarianism and collecting culture
• Qing history
• +6 more

Professor Jinhua Chen (PhD, McMaster University, 1997) is a leading scholar in East Asian Buddhism at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts. Holding a Canada Research Chair (2001-2011) and inducted into the Royal Society of Canada (2020), his work spans trans-regional Buddhist narratives, monastic institutions, relic veneration, and technological innovations in medieval Asian religions. Key Affiliations: UBC Buddhist Forum (Director), Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies (Resident Scholar), and editorial roles in Brill Book Series on East Asian Religions and Studies in Chinese Religions . Research Themes: Combines textual analysis with interdisciplinary methods to explore Buddhist sacred sites, doctrinal transmissions, and church-state dynamics. His projects include From the Ground Up (SSHRC Partnership Grant 2016-2023), examining East Asian religions through multi-media sources, and studies on ruixiang (propitious signs) in medieval Chinese prognostication. Scientific Awards: Royal Society of Canada Fellow, Canada Research Chair, SSHRC Insight Grants, Humboldt Research Fellowship, and Max Planck Institute funding. Publications: Over 30 book chapters and journal articles (2000-2016), including monographs on Fazang, Shingon-Tendai conflicts, and Buddhist sacred geography. Teaching: Courses on Chinese thought, Chan/Zen Buddhism, and Buddhist text interpretation, emphasizing methodological rigor and cross-cultural analysis. Projects: Directed international collaborations on Buddhist manuscripts, palace chapels, and relic cultures, with grants totaling over $4 million CAD.

• East Asian Buddhism
• Buddhist Transmission Narratives
• Church-State Relationships
• +6 more

Wei-Cheng Lin is Associate Professor of Art History and the College at the University of Chicago , specializing in Chinese art and architecture. He serves as Faculty Director of the Dispersed Chinese Art Digitalization Project , sits on the steering committee of the Center for the Art of East Asia , and acts as Architectural Studies Advisor. His office is located in CWAC 268 with weekly office hours on Wednesdays. Educational background details are not explicitly provided in the text; however, he held an appointment as Assistant Professor of East Asian Art and Architecture at Iowa State University during 2006–2007. Lin’s research interrogates the intersections of visual and material culture in medieval Chinese Buddhist art and architecture and the ritual dimensions of Chinese funerary practices . Current book projects include Performative Architecture of China , which explores how architecture enacts meaning through historical performance, and Necessarily Incomplete: Fragments of Chinese Artifacts , which investigates the active roles of fragmentary artifacts in shaping multivalent cultural significance. Across more than twenty publications, Lin’s scholarship ranges from detailed studies of Mount Wutai and Dunhuang to theoretical inquiries into architectural historiography , materiality , and contemporary Chinese art . His work bridges art history, architectural history, religious studies, and digital humanities. Grants & Digital Initiatives: Faculty Director, Dispersed Chinese Art Digitalization Project (DCADP) — supported by the Cyrus Tang Foundation Manages DCADP publication series, including Beijing Zhihua Temple (2024) and Exhibiting East Asian Art in a Global Context (2025, co-edited with Chelsea Foxwell) Laboratories & Teams: Lin leads collaborative efforts through the Center for the Art of East Asia and the UChicago Center in Beijing , organizing exhibitions, international conferences, and digital humanities workshops that integrate art-historical research with cutting-edge visualization technologies.

• Chinese art history
• Chinese architectural history
• Buddhist art and architecture
• +7 more

David Germano is Professor of Tibetan and Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia's College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Religious Studies. He also holds a Clinical Professor appointment in Nursing and serves as Director of multiple centers including the Tibet Center, the Contemplative Sciences Center, and SHANTI (Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts Network of Technological Initiatives). Since 2000, he has directed the Tibetan and Himalayan Library, establishing himself as a leading figure in Tibetan studies and digital humanities. Germano earned his B.A. from Notre Dame University in 1984 and completed his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin in 1992. His academic career at UVA progressed from Assistant Professor (1992-1998), to Associate Professor (1998-2011), and finally to Professor (2011-present). His research focuses on the Nyingma and Bön lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, particularly tantric traditions and Buddhist philosophy from the eighth to fifteenth centuries. He also studies Tibetan history and literature, contemporary Tibet (especially regarding religion, education, and technology), and digital humanities. Germano is particularly interested in engaged scholarship that inserts higher education into a socially transformative role across various sectors. Germano's publications reveal a consistent focus on Tibetan Buddhist traditions, with particular emphasis on Dzogchen (Great Perfection) teachings, visionary movements, and the intersection of traditional practices with contemporary contexts. His work spans religious studies, anthropology, digital humanities, and Tibetan cultural studies, demonstrating interdisciplinary approaches to understanding Tibetan Buddhism and its modern manifestations. As a leader in digital humanities, Germano has pioneered numerous initiatives including the Tibetan and Himalayan Digital Library, the Tibetan Unicode Project, the Tibetan Literary Encyclopedia, and the Tibetan Language Learning Resources initiative. He has also co-directed the UVa-Machik Geotourism Initiative and the Tibetan and Himalayan Historical GIS project, demonstrating his commitment to innovative approaches for preserving and disseminating Tibetan knowledge.

• Tibetan Buddhism
• Bön lineages
• Tantric traditions
• +7 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

Ayşe Hilal Uğurlu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture at MEF University's Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture. She completed her PhD in the History of Architecture program at Istanbul Technical University in 2012 with a dissertation titled 'Selim III's Istanbul: Building Activities In The Light Of Political and Military Transformations.' Uğurlu has held prestigious fellowships including a senior fellowship from ANAMED at Koç University (2014), a Barakat Trust Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Oxford University (2017-18), and Barakat Trust Major Awards (2018-19). Her research focuses on the social, political, and architectural history of the Ottoman Empire, with particular attention to the 18th-19th centuries. Uğurlu has co-edited three significant books: 'Ottoman Architectural Culture' (2016), 'Sacred Spaces + Urban Networks' (2019), and 'The Friday Mosque in the City: Liminality, Ritual, and Politics' (2020). She is currently leading a research project with Dr. Deniz Türker exploring the roles of Ottoman royal women during the 18th-19th centuries, funded by MEF University Scientific Research Projects (2023-2025) and scheduled for publication by Cambridge University Press in 2025. Uğurlu's scholarly work reveals a consistent focus on the intersection of architecture, politics, and religious practice in Ottoman Istanbul. Her publications demonstrate particular expertise in imperial mosques, sacred spaces, and the transformation of religious practices during the 19th century. Her research often examines how architectural spaces functioned as political tools and social nuclei within Ottoman urban environments. Senior fellowship from ANAMED (Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations) at Koç University (2014) Barakat Trust Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Khalili Research Centre, Oxford University (2017-18) Barakat Trust Major Awards (2018-19) Uğurlu actively contributes to academic discourse through numerous publications and conference presentations. Her current research project on Ottoman royal women represents a significant contribution to understanding women's roles in imperial power structures. While specific information about her advising activities isn't detailed in the source material, her extensive publication record and ongoing research projects indicate active engagement with academic scholarship and likely mentorship of students.

• Social history of Ottoman Empire
• Political history of Ottoman Empire
• Architectural history of Ottoman Empire
• +5 more

Robert Sharf is the D.H. Chen Distinguished Professor of Buddhist Studies in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Berkeley . He also serves as Chair of the Numata Center for Buddhist Studies and Head Graduate Advisor for the Group in Buddhist Studies . With a PhD in Buddhist Studies from the University of Michigan (1995), he previously taught at McMaster University (1989-1995) and the University of Michigan (1995-2003). Research Interests: Medieval Chinese Buddhism (especially Chan) Japanese Buddhism Buddhist Art and Archaeology Ritual Studies Buddhist Modernism Philosophical Paradoxes Methodology in Religious Studies Critical Buddhist Discourse Publications & Collaborations: Author of Coming to Terms with Chinese Buddhism: A Reading of the Treasure Store Treatise (2002) Co-editor of Living Images: Japanese Buddhist Icons in Context (2001) Co-author of What Can’t Be Said: Contradiction and Paradox in East Asian Thought (2021) Co-author of How to Lose Yourself: An Ancient Guide to Letting Go (2025) Editor of Chinese translations of his works: Xiafu Chanxue zixuan ji and Xiafu Mijiao Yanjiu zixuan ji (2022) Academic Leadership: Director of the Group in Buddhist Studies Director of Religious Studies Chair of the Center for Buddhist Studies

• Medieval Chinese Buddhism
• Chan Buddhism
• Japanese Buddhism
• +5 more

Nalini Rao is an Associate Professor of World Art at Soka University of America. Her academic career includes positions at the University of Southern California, University of Hawaii Hilo, and California State Universities. She specializes in Indian art, archaeology, and religious studies, focusing on Hindu monasteries, relic worship, and pre-modern royal iconography. Education: PhD in Art History from UCLA (1991), PhD in Ancient History and Archaeology from University of Mysore (1981), MA in History of Art from University of Marathwada (1973). Research Interests: Hindu monastic institutions, Buddhist art, royal iconography, and maritime archaeology. She explores intersections between art, religion, and power in pre-modern India. Key Themes in Publications: Analysis of Vijayanagara royal imagery, Jain architecture in Sravanabelagola, and ritual symbolism in South Indian festivals. Her work bridges archaeology, art history, and cultural anthropology. Awards: Includes the IGNCA Award for Narrative Art (2014), PBRC Research Award (2010), and multiple fellowships for art history research. Teaching & Outreach: Courses span World Art, Asian Art History, and contemporary visual culture. Curated exhibitions on Indus Valley Civilization and modern Indian art.

• Hindu Monasteries in South India
• Relic Worship in Hindu and Buddhist Monasteries
• Vrindavana and Buddhist Stupa
• +5 more

Professor Peter Flügel is Chair of the Centre of Jaina Studies and Professor of the Study of Religions and Philosophies at SOAS University of London. His extensive research covers Jain history, anthropology, sociology, ritual practices, and comparative philosophy. Education: Dr Phil (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz) MA (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz) Flügel's research encompasses Jain schools and sects, relic stūpas, Jaina-Vaiṣṇava syncretism, socio-political history of the Jain tradition, and questions of pluralism and non-violence. He specializes in the material culture of Jain mendicant traditions and Jain legal history. Flügel has directed numerous research projects funded by the British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, and AHRC, including 'Jaina Rituals of Death', 'Jaina-Prosopography', and 'Exploratory Survey of the Jaina Heritage in Pakistan'. His publications demonstrate extensive archival research and fieldwork focused on Jain religious practices across South Asia. Scientific Awards: Ācārya Tulsī Anekānt Sammān (1999) International Pravartinī Pārvatī Jain Award (2010) Jewel of the Jain World Award (2012) Flügel convenes the Annual Jaina Studies Workshops at SOAS and serves as editor of the International Journal of Jain Studies. He maintains international collaborations with universities in Lund, Lille, and Ghent, and research partnerships with institutions in India and Germany.

• Jain Studies
• Religious Anthropology
• Jain Rituals
• +2 more

Benjamin Brose is a Professor of Buddhist and Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan's Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, serving as Department Chair. He holds affiliations with the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, Center for Japanese Studies, and Nam Center for Korean Studies. His research focuses on the history of Chinese Buddhism, particularly medieval and modern periods, with special attention to Chan/Zen traditions, Buddhist relics, and religious exchanges in East Asia. Education: PhD (2009) and MA (2004) from Stanford University; MA (2002) from UC Berkeley; BA (1996) from UC Santa Cruz. Research Interests: Brose explores Buddhist cultural history, including Xuanzang’s legacy, Song dynasty critiques of Buddhism, and the interplay between religion and politics. His recent publications include Embodying Xuanzang (2023) and Xuanzang: China’s Legendary Pilgrim (2021). He has been supported by prestigious fellowships like the Fulbright Foundation and ACLS. Teaching: Courses include 'Zen Buddhism: History, Culture, & Critique' and 'Buddhism and Death'. He advises on graduate research in Buddhist studies and co-leads initiatives like the Buddhist Studies Group at Michigan. Awards/Grants: Recipient of grants from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation, and others. His work bridges historical scholarship with modern religious practices, emphasizing East Asian religious continuity and transformation.

• Buddhist Studies
• Chinese Religions
• Medieval Chinese Buddhism
• +4 more

Jinze CUI is an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Humanities, University of Catania (Italy), specializing in Chinese Philology. With a PhD candidacy at KU Leuven (Belgium) in Architectural Heritage Conservation and a Master's in Cultural Relic Architecture from Peking University, he bridges architectural history, cultural preservation, and public engagement. His career spans roles as a lecturer, exhibition curator, and advocate for heritage conservation in China. PhD Candidate: KU Leuven (2014–2020) Master's: Peking University (2009–2012) Bachelor's: North China University of Technology (2002–2007) His research focuses on architectural heritage conservation , analyzing wooden structures, adaptive reuse of religious buildings, and controversies in restoration practices. Articles like 'The Totem of Ideal Human Habitat' and 'Inspirations on the Adaptive Reuse of Religious Architecture' highlight his interdisciplinary approach. He actively campaigns for civil-led heritage protection, exemplified by his 2013–2014 campaign to save Chen Baochen’s residence in Beijing. Recent works explore global heritage debates , including Notre Dame de Paris restoration and Dresden’s cultural memory. His articles span journals such as ThePaper.cn and edited volumes like Chinese Heritage in the Making (Amsterdam University Press, 2018). Member: ICOMOS China Member: Beijing Cultural Relic Protection Association CUI leads international cultural relic rescue campaigns and lectures on Beijing’s architectural history, including at the 2012 Walmart China Women in Leadership Forum. He also participated in EU-funded projects like Asia Urbs Chn5-08 in Beijing (2004–2005).

• Architectural Heritage Conservation
• Building Archaeology
• Cultural Heritage
• +3 more

Jorge Cañizares-Esguerra is a Professor and Alice Drysdale Sheffield Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin's College of Liberal Arts. His work fundamentally recontextualizes Latin America's role in shaping Western modernity through historical analysis of science, abolitionism, and democratic thought. Education: PhD from University of Wisconsin His research interrogates historiographical categories like the Enlightenment, Scientific Revolution, and Atlantic Age of Revolutions that have obscured Latin America's contributions to modernity. He demonstrates how manuscript petitions, not print culture, drove knowledge production and how colonial scribal practices created alternative cosmopolitanisms. Recent publications include Categories as Prisons (University Pennsylvania Press) challenging Atlantic historiography, and The Radical Spanish Empire (Harvard University Press) co-authored with Adrian Masters, which reclaims Spanish America's role in anti-slavery movements and systematic skepticism. His work appears in Cambridge Companion to Latin American Independence and New World Objects of Knowledge series. Teaching includes courses on Colonial Latin America (LAS 366), Atlantic History (HIS 383M), and Urban Slavery (HIS 347N). He has extensive editorial experience co-editing Princeton Handbook of Atlantic History and Jesuit-Protestant Encounters series.

• Atlantic World History
• Historiography
• Colonial Latin America
• +8 more