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Emeritus Draper Professor of American History Robert Gross and Earth Sciences professor Robert Thorson collaborate on article exploring the geographical significance of Concord

WHY CONCORD? The geological origins of the American Revolution” by Robert A. Gross and Robert M. Thorson recently appeared in The Atlantic. They were also interviewed about their work and featured in a UConn today article entitled “Place Matters. History Is the Result” by Elaina Hancock which can be found here.

New York Times Recommendation: Andy Horowitz’s Katrina: A History, 1915-2015

New York Times opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie recently recommended Professor Andy Horowitz’s Katrina: A History, 1915–2015. “It’s just a wonderful history,” he asserted. “A great perspective on…thinking through America in the 20th century from the perspective of this singular event that was Hurricane Katrina.”

You can read the full article here.

Katharine Beene Successfully Defends Dissertation

On August 8th, Katharine Beene successfully defended her dissertation, “Women’s Acquisition and Transmission of Knowledge in Early Modern Ireland, 1600-1750”. 

From the abstract: 

This dissertation expands understandings of scientific and political advancement in Ireland from 1600-1750 by examining the often-overlooked informal learning networks of early modern Irish women, focusing on their correspondence and kinship relationships.  It reveals how these women were not merely passive recipients, but active contributors to the formation and distribution of foundational knowledge in fields like medicine, science, mathematics, and politics across Western Europe.  Early modern Ireland’s experience as a colony offers valuable insights into how colonial systems shape the transmission of knowledge.  This dissertation argues that despite the limitations imposed by formal colonial controls on access to education, women’s informal networks played a unique role in the transfer of knowledge… Investigating women in Ireland knowledge acquisition in a kingdom-colony context provides a methodological approach to investigate informal networks and the circulation of knowledge among marginalized communities.

Congratulations to Katharine Beene on this impressive achievement!