Shannon Grimes

Shannon Grimes is a Professor in the Department of History and Political Science at Meredith College, specializing in religion with expertise in early Christianity, world religions, and environmental ethics. Her research focuses on religious and philosophical traditions in the Greco-Roman world, particularly ancient alchemy and cosmic worldviews. She has led international study programs in Iceland and Italy.

Dr. Grimes holds a Ph.D. in Religion from Syracuse University, an M.Phil. in Religion from Syracuse University, an M.A. in Philosophy and Religion from California Institute of Integral Studies, and a B.A. in English from University of Puget Sound.

Her research explores the intersections of ancient alchemy, spirituality, and material culture in Roman Egypt, with interdisciplinary approaches bridging religious studies, history, and archaeology. Publications demonstrate thematic focus on ritual practices, cultural transmission, and symbolic systems.

• Faculty Distinguished Lecture (2022)
• Pauline Davis Perry Award for Research (2019)
• Pauline Davis Perry Award for Teaching (2009)