معرفی
Elizabeth Ann Heath is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY). Her academic career spans teaching and research in Modern European History with a focus on French colonial history, economic history, and the history of commodities, with particular emphasis on how imperial relationships shaped modern French identity.
Dr. Heath's educational background includes:
- Ph.D. in Modern European History from the University of Chicago
- M.A. in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago
- B.A. in Political Science and Women's Studies from New College of Florida
Her research investigates the intersections of French imperialism, economic development, and cultural history, examining how colonial commodities like wine and sugar shaped modern French identity and economic structures. Dr. Heath's innovative approach bridges economic, social, and cultural history with digital methodology, exploring how everyday objects and consumption practices reflected and reinforced imperial relationships. She has pioneered digital approaches to historical research, developing mapping projects that visualize colonial connections in eighteenth-century France and the Caribbean.
Dr. Heath's scholarly work reveals consistent trends across economic history, visual culture, and the material dimensions of empire. Her publications analyze how commodities functioned as vectors of imperial power while simultaneously shaping metropolitan French identity, with particular attention to sensory experiences, visual representation, and economic policy. Her research demonstrates how colonial relationships permeated everyday French life through consumption practices, educational materials, and cultural production.
Dr. Heath's significant contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards:
- Alf Andrew Heggoy Prize for best book in French colonial history (2015)
- Distinguished Faculty Award from the Advanced Research Collaborative at the CUNY Graduate Center (2021)
- Nomination for Outstanding Honors Teaching Award (2017)
- Notable Contribution to Maker Hub Faculty Assignment Design Challenge (2017)
As an educator and mentor, Dr. Heath has served as second and third reader for honors theses by students including Noah Bloomberg, Jennifer Michaels, and Monika Jankowski. She has secured multiple research grants from the PSC-CUNY program totaling over $40,000 to support her work on 'Everyday Colonialism' and related projects, with current funding extending through 2024. Her teaching portfolio includes Global History since 1500, Food History, Digital History, and specialized topics in European and global history.
Dr. Heath leads two major digital history initiatives: 'Visualizing Colonial France in the Eighteenth Century,' which maps colonial connections in economic centers of 18th century France, and 'Visualizing the Data of the Eighteenth-Century French Caribbean,' which transforms historical census data into open-access digital resources for scholars and students worldwide.
