Carla Pestana

Carla Gardina Pestana is Distinguished Professor and Joyce Appleby Endowed Chair of America in the World at UCLA, specializing in 17th-18th century Atlantic worlds with focus on English Atlantic, Caribbean, religion, and empire. In 2024-25, she serves as Director of UCLA's Clark Library and Center for 17th-18th Century Studies, and President of the Association of Caribbean Historians.

Education includes:

• Ph.D. from UCLA (1987)
• M.A. from UCLA (1982)
• B.A. from Loyola Marymount University (1980)

Research examines maritime history of the Caribbean and connections between religion and imperial expansion. Current projects focus on piracy, state formation, and cultural encounters in colonial contexts.

Major publications include 'Protestant Empire: Religion and the Making of the British Atlantic World' (2009), 'The English Conquest of Jamaica' (2017), and 'The World of Plymouth Plantation' (2020). Edited works include 'The Cambridge History of America and the World, 1500-1820' (2022).

Fellowships include Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship (2009) and Huntington-NEH Senior Fellowship (1996-97). Recent Ph.D. students include Nicole Gilhuis (2020) and Matthijs Tieleman (2021).

Teaching awards include UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award (2001) and Excellence in Graduate Mentoring awards (2006-2010).