Dr. Ekaterini Mitsiou is a Lecturer at the Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, University of Vienna. Specializing in late Byzantine history (12th-15th centuries), her research spans intellectual networks, canon law, monastic space, and mobility patterns in the Eastern Mediterranean. Key Research Themes: Byzantine educational systems and manuscript circulation Gender roles in legal and monastic contexts Transcultural interactions with Latins and Muslims Climate history and demographic shifts Digital humanities applications to Byzantine texts Publication Trends: Recent work focuses on ENCHANT project data (2023-2025) analyzing charter networks, 13th-century criminal justice in Epirus, and comparative studies of patriarchal authority. Earlier scholarship (2016-2020) examined monastic economics, women's patronage, and the Latin Empire's administrative structures. Teaching: Currently instructing "Georgios Pachymeres and the Byzantine Historiography of the 13th and 14th Centuries" (2025S) and maintaining a long history of teaching courses on Byzantine history and textual analysis.
Ryan Wilkinson is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Ambrose University, specializing in ancient Mediterranean and early medieval European societies. His research examines late antiquity with focus on societal collapse/resilience, Christian doctrinal history, and intersections of political violence, communication, and social networks in ancient contexts. Education PhD, Harvard University MA, The University of Arizona BA, The University of Arizona Research Focus Wilkinson's current book project explores early Christian theologies of creation and their contemporary relevance. His research methodology combines textual analysis with archaeological evidence, particularly studying the transformation of societies during the fragmentation of the Roman Empire. Recent work includes analyzing biblical influences in 6th-century Gothic historiography and economic networks in post-Roman Gaul. Publication Trends Publications demonstrate consistent focus on late antiquity through interdisciplinary approaches. Recent works (2017-2020) exhibit: Integration of numismatic and ceramic evidence with historical narratives Analysis of communication networks during political transitions Methodological innovations in archaeological interpretation Examination of religious narratives in political discourse
Suzel Balez is Professor at Grenoble National School of Architecture and researcher at Cresson (UMR CNRS 1563), a research unit affiliated with Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, ENSA Nantes, ENSA Grenoble, and Centrale Nantes. As an architect and engineer scientist, she teaches in the discipline of construction, engineering, and ambient control, specializing in the sensory aspects of architectural and urban environments. Professor Balez has established herself as a leading expert in olfactory atmospheres, with her HDR focusing on the olfactory experience of places. Her research bridges architecture, urban studies, and sensory ethnography, developing the concept of 'odorant effect' to understand and design situated olfactory phenomena. She examines how materials, air circulation patterns, and spatial configurations collectively shape our sensory experience of places, moving beyond simple cataloging of smells to develop practical frameworks for intentional olfactory design. Her recent publications reveal an increasing engagement with ecological dimensions of sensory experience, particularly evident in her 2024 book 'Fragrances architecturales' and her involvement in the 2025 'Glossaire Sensible / Écologie' project. These works synthesize contemporary knowledge on relationships between places and odors while proposing keys for spatialized olfactory design that addresses environmental challenges. Professor Balez is actively involved in the International Ambiances Network and regularly presents her work at international conferences, including the 5th International Congress on Ambiances in Lisbon (2024), where she conducted workshops on smell walk cartography. Her research has practical applications across architecture, urban planning, museum curation, and commercial design, providing tools for professionals seeking to thoughtfully incorporate sensory considerations into spatial experiences.
Dr. Chloe Porter serves as Reader in English Literature within the Department of English at the University of Sussex's School of Media, Arts and Humanities. Her academic profile centers on early modern drama with specialized expertise spanning Shakespeare, Marlowe, and Aphra Behn, approached through innovative frameworks of visual and material culture. Her research investigates dramatic representations of making, creation, and coming-into-being across early modern theater. The foundational monograph Making and Unmaking in Early Modern English Drama (2013) established her examination of unfinished images and artistic processes within post-Reformation contexts, arguing that concepts of completion carried transgressive associations for Renaissance playwrights. Current scholarship focuses on narratives of beginnings—including creation myths, birth depictions, and political/religious foundation stories—with related publications in Textual Practice analyzing John Lyly's work. A parallel project explores Aphra Behn's strategic appropriations of Shakespeare, particularly her adaptation of The Tempest to examine imperial collapse in The Emperor of the Moon . Dr. Porter maintains an active teaching schedule including convening 'Staging the Renaissance: Shakespeare' and 'Living & Dying: Medieval to Renaissance,' tutoring 'Thinking Literature,' supervising dissertations, and lecturing on 'Reading Literature 2.' Her scholarly output demonstrates consistent engagement with material culture methodologies across 17 publications including monographs, edited collections, journal articles, and book chapters. Office hours are held Tuesdays 2-4 pm in room 229 (Arts B Building), with supervision available for graduate research in her specialized fields.
Dr. Michael Wenzel is a distinguished researcher at the Herzog August Library in Wolfenbüttel, Germany, where he has served since 2017 as internal project manager for the DFG long-term project 'Annotated digital edition of the travel and collection descriptions of Philipp Hainhofer (1578-1647).' His career spans multiple prestigious German cultural institutions, including the Winckelmann Museum Stendal (2004-2008), where he eventually held a leadership position, and the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum Braunschweig (2002-2004). Earlier, he worked as a research and teaching assistant at the University of Jena (2000-2001) while completing his doctoral studies. Dr. Wenzel's research focuses on the intersections of art, travel, and diplomacy in early modern Europe, with particular expertise in collection history, material culture, gender perspectives in portrait art, 18th-century art theory (especially Winckelmann), and early modern garden art. His scholarly approach combines traditional art historical methods with digital humanities, as demonstrated by his current work creating a comprehensive digital edition of Philipp Hainhofer's writings. His recent publications reveal a sustained engagement with early modern cultural networks, object mobility, and cross-cultural exchange. Rather than focusing on isolated artworks, Dr. Wenzel examines how art functioned within broader social, political, and diplomatic contexts—particularly how objects moved across borders through gift exchange, trade, and plunder. His work on Philipp Hainhofer has established him as a leading authority on this important intermediary figure who connected courts, collections, and cultural practices across 17th-century Europe. Dr. Wenzel's scholarly contributions include numerous monographs, edited volumes, and over fifty articles spanning from 1999 to 2025. His 2020 monograph 'Philipp Hainhofer. Trading in Art and Politics' represents a significant contribution to understanding art entrepreneurship in the early modern period. He has also edited important collections such as 'Ekphrasis und Residenz' (2023) and 'Das Meer in der Kammer' (2024), demonstrating his leadership in interdisciplinary scholarship. His research has been consistently supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG), including membership in the network 'Material Culture and Consumption in Early Modern Europe' (2012-2016) and multiple project grants focused on Hainhofer's work. Dr. Wenzel maintains an active presence in academic discourse through conference participation, exhibition catalog contributions, and scholarly reviews, reflecting his commitment to engaging with both academic and public audiences. Based at the Herzog August Library, Dr. Wenzel leads the digital research project on Philipp Hainhofer, which serves as both a scholarly resource and a model for digital humanities applications in art historical research. The project website (https://hainhofer.hab.de/) provides open access to transcriptions, commentaries, and contextual materials related to Hainhofer's extensive writings on art collections and travel experiences across early modern Europe.
Christopher Orchard is Professor of English in the Language, Literature, and Writing Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's College of Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs. His academic work spans early modern British literature and contemporary geopolitical literature, with particular focus on the intersection of drama, politics, and adaptation. His research centers on English Civil War and Republican literature (1640s-1650s), examining how parliamentary and royalist ideologies shaped dramatic production and reception. He investigates how writers used translations of classical works (Virgil, Sophocles, Aesop) for political messaging during periods of crisis. His contemporary scholarship analyzes post-9/11 literature across global contexts from New York to Afghanistan, with emphasis on adaptation theory as both analytical framework and pedagogical practice. His recent publications include the 2023 monograph Printed Drama and Political Instability in Mid-Seventeenth-Century Britain (Routledge), numerous articles on Renaissance writers including Katherine Philips and Ben Jonson, and a forthcoming essay on The Tempest adaptations. His scholarly trajectory reveals consistent engagement with how literature responds to political upheaval across historical periods. Professor Orchard holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford (1994) and maintains active research in both early modern and contemporary literature, frequently connecting historical patterns of crisis response to modern geopolitical challenges through the lens of dramatic adaptation.
Xavier Prévost is a Professor of History of Law and Institutions at the University of Bordeaux, Faculty of Law and Political Science. He holds a dual agrégation in Law and Economics & Management, is an Archivist-Paleographer (graduate of École des Chartes), and a former student of École normale supérieure de Cachan. As a Junior Member of the University Institute of France (2020 promotion), he leads significant interdisciplinary research projects including the ERC-funded "ISTHisFrench" project on the transnational history of the French method of legal teaching. His educational background includes a doctorate in law from Panthéon-Sorbonne University (2012) with thesis "Jacques Cujas (1522-1590). Law tested by humanism," and archival training from École nationale des chartes (2015). He has held numerous academic leadership positions including Director of the Montesquieu Research Institute (2016-present), editor-in-chief of the open-access journal Clio@Themis (2020-present), and since March 2024, Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Strategy at the University of Bordeaux. 2003: Entered École normale supérieure de Cachan (top of class in Law, Economics and Management) 2006: Associate Professor of Economics and Management (9th place) 2012: Doctor of Law, Sorbonne Law School 2014: Appointed Professor of Legal History at University of Bordeaux (top of agrégation) 2015: Archivist and Paleographer 2016: Director of Montesquieu Research Institute 2020: Junior Member of University Institute of France 2023: Co-facilitator of interdisciplinary working group Prévost's research focuses on law and legal knowledge during the Renaissance, particularly examining how humanist methods transformed legal thought and contributed to the emergence of modernity. His work bridges legal history with intellectual history, examining the evolution of legal concepts through three dimensions: thought, writing, and application. Current projects investigate Renaissance encyclopedism (mid-15th to mid-17th century) and the transnational circulation of legal knowledge. His publication record shows consistent scholarly output centered on Jacques Cujas and legal humanism, with recent works examining the construction of legal canons, the virtue of justice in historical perspective, and contemporary relevance of Renaissance jurisprudence. The articles demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches connecting legal history with cultural studies, political thought, and historical methodology. Corbay Prize of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences Alfred Duméril Prize of the Toulouse Academy of Sciences Robert Dennery Prize of the Chancellery of the Universities of Paris Thesis Prize of the Institute of Roman Law of Panthéon-Assas University As an academic leader, Prévost directs the Montesquieu Research Institute and serves as first vice-president of section 03 (History of Law and Institutions) at the National Council of Universities. He has supervised doctoral candidates including Victor Le Breton-Blon's thesis on bill of exchange practices. His interdisciplinary coordination role reflects his commitment to breaking down disciplinary barriers in legal scholarship, with particular emphasis on connecting legal history with broader humanistic inquiry.
Katerina Oikonomopoulou is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philology at the University of Patras, where she has taught ancient Greek and Latin language and literature since 2014. Her expertise spans Classical, Byzantine, and Modern Greek Literature programs, with specialization in imperial-period literary and scientific traditions. Her academic foundation includes Classical Philology studies at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, followed by MA and PhD degrees from the University of Oxford. Prior to Patras, she contributed to research programs on ancient science and medicine at the University of St Andrews and Humboldt University of Berlin. Dr. Oikonomopoulou's research centers on Greek and Latin literature of the 1st-3rd centuries AD, particularly encyclopedic literature , biography , and the symposium tradition from Plato through Plutarch and Athenaeus. She examines how these genres negotiate Classical heritage and contemporary contexts, with special focus on Peripatetic scientific influence (Aristotle, Theophrastus) and representations of medical knowledge. Her methodology integrates literary analysis with intellectual history to explore knowledge transmission in imperial reading communities. Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent engagement with Plutarchan studies, Athenaeus, and encyclopedic works, highlighting intersections between literature, science, and cultural memory. Recurring themes include knowledge organization, epistemic communities, and the reception of scientific discourse in Roman imperial contexts. She has supervised numerous undergraduate and postgraduate theses, serving as main supervisor for one completed and four ongoing doctoral dissertations. From 2018-2022, she directed the University of Patras-funded project Codification and transformations of scientific knowledge in Greek and Latin encyclopedic works of the imperial era , investigating scientific discourse and reading communities under Roman imperial frameworks.
Craig Dionne is Professor of English Literature at Eastern Michigan University, specializing in Shakespeare studies within the departments of English Language and Literature and Environmental Science and Society. His scholarly work bridges Renaissance literature with contemporary theoretical frameworks including eco-criticism and posthuman theory. Education: Ph.D. in Literary and Cultural Theory, Carnegie Mellon University Dionne's research focuses on Shakespeare's enduring relevance through multiple theoretical lenses. His work explores how Shakespeare functions in the Anthropocene era, examining cognitive approaches to literary analysis, posthuman interpretations of early modern texts, and global appropriations of Shakespeare across diverse cultural contexts. He has made significant contributions to understanding Shakespeare's relationship with environmental concerns, cognitive theory, and postcolonial adaptations worldwide. His publication history reveals a consistent trajectory toward interdisciplinary scholarship that connects early modern literature with contemporary philosophical and environmental concerns. Dionne's work demonstrates increasing engagement with the Anthropocene framework, posthuman theory, and global Shakespeare studies, reflecting broader trends in literary scholarship that seek to connect historical texts with urgent contemporary issues. Dionne has held visiting research positions, including at Keio University in Tokyo during a 2014-2015 sabbatical. His editorial work on collections like Native Shakespeares and Posthuman Lear has helped shape conversations about Shakespeare's global circulation and relevance to current ecological and philosophical debates. His scholarship demonstrates sustained engagement with how literary texts function across temporal, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries.
Dr. Margriet Hoogvliet is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Arts, Research Centre for Historical Studies, specializing in medieval and early modern European history. Her primary affiliation is with the 'Cities of Readers' project (2015-2019) and the HERA-funded 'Public Renaissance' project (2019-2022), where she served as project manager for digital heritage initiatives including the 'Hidden Deventer' app and 'Broeders 3D' VR reconstruction. She maintains fractional appointments across multiple institutions including Utrecht University and the Centre d'Études Supérieures de la Renaissance in Tours. Her research interests span the social history of reading in late medieval and early modern Europe, with particular focus on religious literature in Romance languages, urban history, and spatial humanities. She investigates how religious knowledge circulated through domestic spaces and urban environments, examining manuscript cultures, multilingual communities, and the material contexts of reading practices. Her work bridges traditional textual analysis with digital methodologies, creating innovative approaches to historical spatial analysis. Hoogvliet's publication portfolio reveals strong thematic continuity in religious reading practices across urban contexts, with increasing integration of digital humanities methods since 2019. Her recent work demonstrates expertise in combining manuscript studies with spatial analysis, particularly through VR reconstructions and mobile applications that make historical research accessible to broader audiences. This trajectory reflects a scholarly commitment to both rigorous academic research and public engagement. Award highlights include: NWO funding for PhD research (1992) Cum laude doctoral thesis (1999) Smart Loire Valley Fellowship (Marie Curie, 2019-2020) €10,000 prize for public outreach activities (2021) NWO Free Competition grant for 'Cities of Readers' (2014) Her research has been supported by numerous competitive grants including NWO, COST Actions, and European Science Foundation funding. While she has supervised student projects (notably a palaeographical/codicological project at Leeds University), her primary role has been as researcher rather than primary thesis advisor. Current initiatives focus on digital reconstructions of historical spaces and mobile applications for public history engagement. Hoogvliet actively collaborates with international research teams through projects like 'New Communities of Interpretation' and 'Public Renaissance,' working with scholars across Europe to develop innovative approaches to historical spatial analysis. Her 'Hidden Cities' platform and 'Broeders 3D' VR reconstruction represent significant contributions to digital heritage preservation and public history engagement.
Carlo Maria Bajetta is a Full Professor of English Literature at the University of Valle d'Aosta, Italy, where he serves in the Department of Human and Social Sciences. He holds the prestigious position of General Editor, together with Jonathan Gibson, of the complete nine-volume Oxford University Press edition of Sir Walter Ralegh's works, a position he has held since 2022. Previously, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Communication until 2011 and has been Coordinator of the Degree Course in Languages and Communication for Business and Tourism. Professor Bajetta's research spans Renaissance literature, editorial theory, textual bibliography, and the history of the book, with particular expertise on Sir Walter Ralegh, Elizabeth I's correspondence, and the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. His scholarly approach uniquely combines literary analysis with material text studies, focusing on manuscript circulation and historical context. He has made significant contributions to understanding the cultural relations between England and Italy during the Renaissance period. His scholarly publications include over 90 works, with recent highlights being his edition of Elizabeth I's Italian Letters (2017), his collaborative work on Elizabeth I's Foreign Correspondence (2014), and his discovery of new poems by Ralegh published in the Times Literary Supplement (2022). His current major project is a biography of Sir Walter Ralegh for Reaktion Books. PRIN grant recipient for Elizabeth I's Italian Letters project Folger Shakespeare Library Fellow 2018 book prize from the Italian English Association Modern Languages Association 'Approved Edition' recognition Queen Elizabeth I Society's Louis L. Martz Lecturer (2016) Corresponding Fellow of the English Association (2011) Bajetta has served as President of the Italian Association of Anglistics (AIA) and was a member of the board of the European Society for the Study of English (ESSE) from 2019 to 2023. He is actively involved in educational outreach through the Readytoteach.it platform, which connects academics with school teachers. His collaborative research includes the Shakespeare Documented project, where he edited Venetian archive documentation related to Shakespeare's Pericles, enabling secure dating of the work.
Dr. Marjorie Lehman serves as Professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary, specializing in Talmudic Studies and Jewish Women's Scholarship. Her academic work bridges traditional rabbinic literature with contemporary feminist analysis and digital humanities methodologies. Her research focuses on feminist commentary on the Babylonian Talmud , particularly her ongoing work on Massekhet Yoma. Lehman explores gender dynamics in rabbinic literature through projects examining women's roles, head coverings (as seen in her article on Kimchit's Head Covering), and motherhood concepts in Jewish cultural history. Lehman co-founded the Footprints project with Michelle Chesner, Adam Shear, and Josh Teplitsky—a groundbreaking digital humanities initiative tracking Jewish book circulation through time and space. This project represents significant innovation in Jewish historical scholarship methodology. Her editorial work includes the 2015 Nashim journal volume dedicated to Judith Hauptman and co-editing two major 2023 publications: Learning to Read Talmud (with Jane Kanarek) and Mothers in the Jewish Cultural Imagination (with Simon Bronner and Jane Kanarek). Lehman's 2012 monograph The En Yaaqov: Jacob ibn Habib’s Search for Faith in the Talmudic Corpus established her scholarly reputation in Talmudic philosophy. Current research continues her exploration of faith construction within rabbinic literature while expanding into digital humanities applications for Jewish textual studies.
