Dave Oosterhuis

Dave Oosterhuis serves as Associate Professor and Department Co-Chair of Classical Civilizations at Gonzaga University, where he joined the faculty in fall 2010 as part of a growing academic department.

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Classical and Near Eastern Studies, University of Minnesota, 2007
• M.A. in Classics, University of Minnesota, 2003
• B.A. in Classics, University of Iowa, 1992

His research centers on Augustan Rome and its cultural reception, with deep expertise in Vergil's works and associated literature including biographies, commentaries, and apocryphal texts. He critically examines ancient Rome's portrayal in modern popular culture and analyzes musical interpretations of classical themes, exploring how antiquity resonates in contemporary contexts through interdisciplinary lenses.

Oosterhuis maintains strong outreach commitments stemming from his background as a high school Latin teacher. He regularly lectures at schools on ancient world topics and dedicated five summers to Upward Bound programs teaching Greek and Latin to disadvantaged high-schoolers. His field experience includes two summers in Rome—one focused on Latin studies and another participating in SUNY-Buffalo/Università di Siena excavations at Bomarzo—which ultimately reinforced his identity as a philologist rather than archaeologist.