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Medievalitas
Richard Utz
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Tech Square Atlanta feature article on Ivan Allen College Editor-in-Chief Summit
Looking for some reliable information about how to navigate academic publishing? Well this article, by journalist Pearl Kaplan ( Tech Square Atlanta ) offers a great overview of the discussions and hints offered during our recent event, Navigating Scholarly Publishing, by the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. Read it here: Bookmark This: Editors Share Insights for Success in Academic Publishing

Medievalitas
2 days ago1 min read


Meeting of the Southeast Conference of the Association for Asian Studies
Had a great time welcoming the participants of the 65th Meeting of the Southeast Conference of the Association for Asian Studies on behalf of Ivan Allen College. The event was expertly hosted by Georgia Tech School of Modern Languages colleagues Paul Foster and Amanda Weiss. The evening keynote speaker, Dr. Minxin Pei (Tom and Margot Pritzker ‘72 Professor of Government and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College), asked “How US-China Engagement Turned into a Ne

Medievalitas
Jan 261 min read


Navigating Scholarly Publishing
What do you get when you bring eight top editors of scholarly journals and presses together with Master and PhD students, Postdocs, and Faculty of all ranks? Well, we had such an event in Ivan Allen College recently, called Editor-in-Chief Summit: Navigating Academic Publishing : In a first section, I had a chance to serve as moderator as the editors-in-chief presented their best practices for success in scholarly publishing; in a second section, each editor met with groups

Medievalitas
Jan 251 min read


Make Humanity Your Career
Today's motto, on MLK Day 2026, thanks to Atlanta's Carter Center, and befitting all those who labor tirelessly in the vineyard of "a finer world to live in." Work in and for the liberal arts is a vital part for this effort.

Medievalitas
Jan 191 min read


Pairing Science with Art/Fiction, to Further Student Success
I love how our colleagues blend science and art/fiction to create student success: Cosmic Missteps , a new art-and-science series hosted by a cross-disciplinary group of Georgia Tech scholars, including science fiction Lisa Yaszek and funded by Georgia Tech’s new Space Research Program. The goal of Cosmic Missteps is to normalize failure for students and to highlight the very real beauty of failure as a regular—and generative—part of scientific inquiry and technological de

Medievalitas
Jan 121 min read


On the Georgia Humanities Circuit
About 20 years ago, I started thinking about writing for and communicating with broader audiences, to be a public humanist, specifically a public medievalist. Being part of the Inaugural Georgia Humanities Speaker Circuit with a topic on ‘Medieval Atlanta’ is a dream come true. The Circuit is a new statewide speakers bureau celebrating the diverse stories, histories, cultures, and civic traditions of Georgia. Created in honor of America250 , the Circuit brings exceptional h

Medievalitas
Dec 19, 20251 min read


Another first: Keynote for Army Commissioning
I have delivered keynotes and plenaries at many professional conferences, but yesterday's keynote at our ROTC Army Commissioning ceremony was special, and a first. Honored to be invited to speak, and tried to keep it concise and clear (against the deformation that comes from being a 'wordy' English professor). Thanks to LCL Brad Morgan, Master of Ceremony CPT Kiana Myers, and the entire Georgia Tech Stinger Battalion for their warm welcome and organizational skill. And the co

Medievalitas
Dec 18, 20251 min read


Editor-in-Chief Summit
Have been working on bringing together the editors of some of the top journals in our six academic schools, plus editors at UGA Press and Sage Publishing. The goal is to engage our faculty and graduate students with experienced professionals in academic publishing. Really looking forward to this event in January. Participating Editors John Beavers , Editor, Language Sam Bell , Editor, International Studies Quarterly David Bradford , Editor, Health Economics Julia Flanders , E

Medievalitas
Dec 2, 20251 min read


Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts ROTC Commander Retires
Very moving ceremony called "change of command" and "retirement " today for the commanding officer of the Atlanta Region NROTC, J.A. "Tony" Rodriguez, who has been a great leader at Georgia Tech and Morehouse College over the last four years. He celebrates 31 years in the Navy, and was a trusted collaborator for the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts dean and leadership cohort. If you should like to see Captain Rodriguez in "academic action," take a look at his presentation d

Medievalitas
Dec 2, 20251 min read


Governor's Arts & Humanities Awards
Wonderful event under the golden dome of the Georgia Capitol to honor the recipients of the Governor's Arts & Humanities Awards, organized by the Georgia Council for the Arts and Georgia Humanities . Richly deserving individuals, associations, and groups, including the members of the Atlanta Drum Academy (see below), who performed at the event.

Medievalitas
Dec 1, 20251 min read


Liberal Arts @ Tech Institutions = Advantage
For anyone looking at the higher ed sector right now, it is as clear as is the summer sun that the liberal arts at technological institutions are not suffering from the application and enrollment losses characteristic of the humanities and (to some degree) behavioral and social sciences. Our degree programs at Georgia Tech, for example, show a significant ROI advantage (graduates earn more), learning advantage (they are highly satisfied), and future-proof (they find position

Medievalitas
Nov 27, 20251 min read


STEM and the Humanities: Towards a Holistic Alliance
I had the chance of working on this interview/podcast in 2024 as the inaugural issue for University Business Magazine's new podcast series, ushering in convos that would soon include the likes of Lynn Pasquerella , president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), Thomas Ehlrich , president of Indiana University, Ozlem Kilic , inaugural dean of the University of Tennessee’s College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies , and Antonio Flores , presi

Medievalitas
Nov 25, 202518 min read


Fulbright Canada Board of Directors Dinner, in Atlanta
The Fulbright Program's mission is to increase mutual understanding and support friendly and peaceful relations between the United States and other countries through educational and cultural exchange. Founded by President Harry S. Truman in 1946, it aims to foster a more peaceful world by bringing more knowledge, reason, and compassion into international affairs. This is achieved by providing opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to study, teach, lecture, a

Medievalitas
Nov 21, 20251 min read


In Praise of Deliberate Amateurs
Have you ever wondered about what attracts us scholars to take up an area in which we are absolute beginners, to start from scratch and take a risk although it would be more comfortable to remain 'disciplined' and apply the same scholarly paradigms throughout one's entire career? I recently published a piece with University Business Magazine. It's a QUICK READ at c. 600 words. Denominators: David Epstein, Range (2021); Hannah Arendt & natality; amateurs & dilettantes; Vanne

Medievalitas
Nov 6, 20251 min read


Can the Humanities Change?
We would rather be ruined than changed We would rather die in our dread Than climb the cross of the moment And let our illusions die. W.H. Auden, who wrote an entire book-length poem about anxiety, expresses pretty well here what many colleagues in the humanities feel these days. I contributed a piece to Inside Higher Ed that explains this anxiety and discusses what the humanities can and cannot deliver when it comes to their role in higher education. Would we Rather the Hum

Medievalitas
Nov 6, 20252 min read


Active Learning Brings Together Ivan Allen College Faculty
A wonderful teaching and learning community from among Ivan Allen College Faculty got together on a Friday afternoon to learn and discuss " Disrupting the Lecture: Active Learning as a Pathway to Disciplinary Knowledge and World Readiness," expertly guided by Dr. Leah Carmichael, director of active learning at the University of Georgia.

Medievalitas
Oct 31, 20251 min read


Ivan Allen College Homecoming Pix
From consulting with our advisory board to celebrating homecoming with alumni and current students, all under the blue skies and sunshine of an Atlanta fall weekend, in a Liberal Arts College twice as large as when I joined 13 years ago.

Medievalitas
Oct 25, 20251 min read


Hall Scholars Breakfast
Once a semester, we gather to celebrate the exemplary support and mentorship the Halls (Col. Steven C, and Mrs. Pamela Hall) offer an ever increasing number of our students. Many years ago, alumnus Steve Hall took a single writing class with Professor James Bynum, which changed his career path, and he has been giving back to his institution for many years now. At the Scholars Breakfast, student recipients introduce themselves and network. Guests at the event included Interim

Medievalitas
Oct 18, 20251 min read


Lifetime Learning Conference
Last year, Georgia Tech created a College of Lifetime Learning, acknowledging the need for higher education to think beyond traditional...

Medievalitas
Oct 6, 20251 min read


Outstanding Alumni & Family Weekend
This year's cohort of Ivan Allen College alumni who are recipients of Georgia Tech Alumni Association's 40 Under 40 Awards is the...

Medievalitas
Sep 22, 20251 min read
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