معرفی
Kathryn Gleason serves as Professor in the Department of Classics at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences, specializing in the archaeology of ancient Roman designed landscapes and landscape architectural history.
Her research pioneers methodologies for recovering Roman gardens and parks (viridaria), focusing on how archaeological remains preserve traces of original designers to reconstruct not only physical appearance but also choreographed practices of political power, social resistance, and daily life across the empire. Fieldwork spans sites including Herod the Great's palaces in Judea, Aretas IV's complex at Petra, and the Villa Arianna at Stabiae near Mt. Vesuvius, with current co-direction of the Casa della Regina Carolina project at Pompeii.
Professor Gleason's editorial leadership in major volumes has defined the field, particularly her award-winning work The Gardens of the Roman Empire (2018). Her publications consistently bridge landscape architecture theory with archaeological practice, emphasizing the socio-political dimensions of ancient designed environments across Mediterranean and Near Eastern contexts.
Her scholarly recognition includes:
- 2020 Elisabeth Blair MacDougall Award for Landscape History (Society of Architectural Historians)
- Fulbright Scholar designation
- Fellow of the American Academy in Rome
- Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects
- Senior Fellow at Dumbarton Oaks (since 2016)
As a key contributor to Cornell's archaeology initiatives, she advances understanding of ancient landscape design through CIAMS projects and international collaborations, maintaining active fieldwork programs while mentoring the next generation of landscape archaeologists.
