Sharon M. Rowley

Dr. Sharon M. Rowley is Professor of English at Christopher Newport University, where she teaches courses in Old and Middle English language and literature, Arthurian romance, dream visions, textual culture, and early modern drama. She is a leading scholar in the field of Old English studies with a focus on Bede's Historia ecclesiastica and medieval manuscript culture.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Old English Language and Literature from the University of Chicago
• M.A. in English from the University of Chicago
• B.A. in English from Temple University

Professor Rowley's research centers on the reception and transmission of Bede's Historia ecclesiastica in the Middle Ages, Old and Middle English manuscripts and textuality, Old English prose, anonymous homilies, and otherworldly visions. Her work bridges linguistic, literary, and historical approaches to medieval texts, with particular attention to how manuscripts were produced, circulated, and interpreted in early medieval England. She has made significant contributions to our understanding of textual transmission and the cultural contexts of medieval English literature.

Her scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on Bede's works and their reception, manuscript studies, and the intersection of religious and literary traditions in early medieval England. Over the past decade, her research has increasingly engaged with digital humanities approaches to manuscript study, as evidenced by her work on digitization projects.

Her notable awards and honors include:

• Research Fellowship at the Institute of English Studies, University of London (2024)
• Faculty Excellence Award in Scholarship from CNU (2013)
• Honorary Research Associate at the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, Cambridge University (2008)
• Visiting Fellow at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University (2008)

Professor Rowley has secured significant research funding, most notably a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for her ongoing project to create a new critical edition of the Old English version of Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica with Greg Waite (Otago, NZ). She has presented her research at prestigious institutions including University of London, King's College London, Stanford University, and at international conferences. Her scholarly activities demonstrate a commitment to advancing the field of medieval studies through both traditional textual scholarship and innovative digital approaches.