Heidi Marx

Heidi Marx is a Professor and Dean in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Manitoba, where she is also affiliated with the Department of Religion. She has been a core faculty member since 2009 and is actively involved in teaching, research, and academic leadership. Her work bridges philosophy, religion, and the history of medicine in late antiquity.

• PhD in History, University of California, Santa Barbara (2009)
• PhD in Philosophy, Pennsylvania State University (1999)
• BA (Honours), University of Calgary (1993)

Her research centers on late ancient philosophy, particularly Platonism, and explores intersections between religion, medicine, and ideas about nature. Key interests include ancient demonology, plant ontology, gnostic thought, and ritual authority. She investigates how ancient thinkers conceptualized life, healing, and the spiritual dimensions of the natural world.

Her recent publications reflect a strong trend toward interdisciplinary studies of ancient medicine and religion. She co-authored a major sourcebook on ancient Mediterranean healing and has published extensively on figures like Porphyry and Sosipatra. Her work increasingly connects ancient thought with modern ecological and philosophical frameworks, including new materialisms and object-oriented ontology.

• Co-founder and co-director, ReMeDHe (Religion, Medicine, and Healing in the Ancient World)
• Member, Society for Biblical Literature
• Member, American Academy of Religion
• Member, North American Patristics Society
• Member, European Academy of Religion

She mentors both Master’s and PhD students and is currently accepting new graduate advisees. Her administrative role as Dean underscores her commitment to academic excellence and institutional development. She leads research initiatives and contributes to shaping the academic direction of the Faculty of Arts.

She is affiliated with several research groups and has secured collaborative funding for large-scale scholarly projects, including the co-authored sourcebook on ancient medicine. Her work continues to expand into new areas, particularly the philosophical understanding of plants in antiquity, informed by contemporary ecological concerns.