Catherine Wilkins

Dr. Catherine Wilkins serves as a Professor in the Judy Genshaft Honors College at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus, where she bridges humanities scholarship with community action through courses like From Middens to Mermaids and Healing Arts at the James Museum. Her interdisciplinary approach empowers students to apply cultural analysis toward solving real-world environmental and social challenges.

Her educational journey includes a Bachelor's in Humanities from USF, followed by a Master's in Art History and PhD in Interdisciplinary History from Tulane University, enriched by international research fellowships at Freie Universität Berlin and the Murphy Institute for Studies in Ethics and Public Affairs.

Wilkins' research synthesizes Cultural History, Community Engagement, and Environmental Place-Based Learning with pioneering work in Arts and Health. She investigates how Florida's ecological landscapes shape cultural narratives through field-based courses, while her museum partnerships with the Tampa Museum of Art and Ringling Museum develop therapeutic arts interventions for healthcare contexts. This dual focus reveals humanities' tangible value in climate resilience and medical practice.

Her recent publications (2019-2025) demonstrate consistent innovation in community-engaged pedagogy, spanning climate adaptation for historical sites, arts-based medical training, and longitudinal studies of service-learning's civic impacts. These works collectively argue for humanities as essential tools for building just futures.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Fellowship at Freie Universität Berlin
• Fellowship at Murphy Institute for Studies in Ethics and Public Affairs

Wilkins actively mentors undergraduate researchers through co-publications on medical communication and historical surgery, while her community partnerships with Heritage Village, Gulf Beaches Historical Museum, and Dunedin city government create experiential learning laboratories. These collaborations transform theoretical humanities into practical solutions for cultural preservation and public health.

Her leadership manifests in courses that merge academic rigor with tangible community impact, exemplifying her philosophy that 'cultural study is not just a window into the past, but a guide for creating more just and imaginative futures.'