Leah DeVun

Leah DeVun is a Professor of History in the Department of History at Rutgers University's School of Arts and Sciences, where she has taught since 2011, specializing in medieval European history with interdisciplinary connections to gender, sexuality, and science.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. from Columbia University (2004).

• Ph.D., Columbia University, 2004

DeVun's research centers on premodern European gender and sexuality, the history of science and medicine, and contemporary queer/trans studies, examining how medieval concepts of nonbinary gender inform modern identity frameworks. Her work bridges historical scholarship with critical theory, focusing on hermaphroditism, bodily boundaries, and religious-scientific intersections in medieval contexts.

Analysis of her publications reveals consistent exploration of sexual difference in medieval cosmology, surgery, and alchemy, evolving toward contemporary art and media analysis. Key trends include deconstruction of binary gender systems, examination of religious influences on scientific thought, and documentation of marginalized communities' archival practices across historical and modern contexts.

DeVun's scientific awards include:

• Award for Excellence in Historical Studies from the American Academy of Religion
• Margaret W. Rossiter Prize from the History of Science Society
• Haskins Medal from the Medieval Academy of America
• John Nicholas Brown Prize from the Medieval Academy of America
• Jerry Stannard International Memorial Award for the Best Article of the Year
• Faculty Fellowship, Stanford Humanities Center
• Charles Donald O'Malley Fellowship, UCLA
• Visiting Scholar Fellowship, University of Texas Medical Branch
• Franklin Research Grant, American Philosophical Society
• Solmsen Fellowship, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Summer Fellowship, UCLA Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• Francis Bacon Fellowship, Huntington Library

As an advisor, DeVun mentors graduate students in women's/gender history through specialized colloquia on The Body and Queer History. Her research is supported by major grants from the Huntington Library, American Philosophical Society, and Stanford Humanities Center. Concurrently, she operates as a multi-media artist and curator, with international exhibitions and features in Artforum and The New York Times, creating synergies between academic research and artistic practice.

DeVun leads the photography project 'Resemblance' (2024 Aperture Portfolio Prize finalist) and curates exhibitions exploring queer/feminist histories, establishing cross-disciplinary teams that integrate historical scholarship with contemporary community engagement and artistic production.