Contact

For teachers and editors

Want me to visit your campus or speak at an event?

I love to build networks and connect people with ideas, but please check my availability well in advance. I particularly welcome invitations that involve meaningful engagement with underrepresented students or that boost the careers of less established scholars. In lieu of honoraria, I welcome donations to the Women’s Classical Caucus (WCC) or the SCS Erich Gruen Prize in support of graduate research on cultural exchange in the ancient Mediterranean world.

Want to interview or publish me?

I’m happy to do media appearances or podcasts, but I currently have less availability for longer commissions. Editors, kindly note my next two books are already under contract.

Want me to review something?

Like many women of color in academia, I serve more than my fair share of committees, boards, journals, and juries. I get so many requests for additional service that managing these becomes a job in itself. So I’m regretfully unable to take on additional labor, except in rare cases that materially support diversity and innovation in ancient studies.

For students

Want to take an undergraduate course with me?

I love undergraduate teaching! Check out my faculty page and current classics course listings at Johns Hopkins. Listen to first-year undergraduates discuss our Fall 2022 seminar on “Race before Race” here.

Want me to advise your graduate work?

I consider graduate advising the most meaningful part of my job and I’d be glad to work with you if our interests align. First, learn more about our Classics Ph.D program here at Hopkins, keeping in mind that you’re choosing a whole learning community – not just a single supervisor – and your research goals will evolve over time. Current graduate students are a particularly good source of information on any program, so it’s worth reaching out to one or two (and ours are great!) before contacting professors or spending money to apply. Note that Hopkins’ Ph.D program requirements favor applicants with working knowledge of Latin or Greek; some experience with German, French or Italian is also a plus. I occasionally serve as an external committee member for Ph.D students whose work I really vibe with, but it’s best to make contact in person at a conference or if I visit your campus.

What if I need more Latin or Greek?

You’re not alone, and many programs are rethinking the language requirements that serve as barriers into our field. Recent years have seen a proliferation of ‘bridge’ MA programs, some funded, in addition to post-baccalaureate programs where you can work on your language skills. Liv Yarrow keeps a list here.

Need help handling unexpected expenses or obstacles on your classics journey?

Apply for a microgrant from the Sportula (US) or Sportula Europe. The Women’s Classical Caucus also provides mentorship and some financial, legal, and family support.

What can I do with a classics degree?

The short answer is: anything you want! Check out the Society for Classical Studies’ guide for ideas. Remember that many people with classical training – from Anthony Fauci to Boris Johnson – go on to careers far beyond university walls. Ask your program to put you in touch with graduates, and arrange fifteen-minute chats with anyone whose work sparks your interest. You’ll be amazed at the diversity of careers that classicists go on to enjoy, thanks to the training we get in source analysis, critical thinking, research and communication skills, and the making of meaning across time, media, and cultures.

For early-career scholars

Looking for mentorship or professional advice?

I do most of my off-campus advising through this excellent mentorship program run by the Women’s Classical Caucus (WCC). Scholars of any gender, career stage, and subfield can sign up for free or a nominal membership fee. The Consortium for Faculty Diversity and the Institute for Citizens & Scholars also offer fellowship opportunities for underrepresented scholars.

Can you help edit or publish my manuscript? 

My hands are full with my own advisees and editorial work, but I often help run workshops for prospective authors via the SCS, TAPA, or the Women’s Classical Caucus (WCC). Follow the WCC for updates and check out their publication guide. Consider pitching to Tangent if you’ve got an innovative, edgy manuscript that just won’t fit into standard boxes.

Do you have any advice on getting a job in classics?

I can’t do better than Joy Connolly’s handbook. See also the SCS website’s advice for candidates and guide to careers for graduate students – keeping in mind that teaching and ‘alt-ac’ careers prove just as fulfilling as university jobs. If you want more targeted help with applications, interviews, and the like, keep an eye on WCC events or sign up for their on-demand mentorship program.

For everyone

It’s so nice to know I’m not alone. Where can I meet fellow classicists of color? 

Welcome to our brave new world! Join me at the Asian and Asian-American Classical Caucus, the London Classicists of Colour, or the Christian Cole Society at Oxford. BIPOC and first-generation scholars should also check out Nadhira Hill’s blog, Notes from the Apotheke.

How can I learn more about ancient diversity and join anti-racist efforts in classics?

Rebecca Futo Kennedy’s website is my go-to site for reading, bibliography, and shared teaching resources on ancient race and identity. For opportunities, events, and community, join Eos (a group dedicated to Africana receptions of ancient Greece and Rome) and the Multiculturalism, Race & Ethnicity in Classics Consortium (MRECC). You’ll find many more ideas in the Society for Classical Studies’ list of anti-racist resources.

Classics Everywhere

What if I live in a part of the world with limited access to classics?

We’re working on making classics more accessible to all. Join the African Classics Network or check out the Chinese site Lingua Latina, run by Hopkins Classics major Marie Wei. The Society for Classical Studies also offers $2000 grants for efforts to bring the ancient Mediterranean and its reception to a wider global audience.

How can I keep up with recent developments in global antiquities?

One good first stop is the SCS blog. Please also subscribe to the newsletter Pasts Imperfect and send us tips on initiatives, conferences, and new findings that we can feature!