Welcome back!
We're delighted to have our faculty and students back for another terrific year together. Here are a few highlights to look forward to this fall!
The 2026 Conway Lectures: "Religion and Law in the Medieval World"
- Thursday, September 3, 5–6:30 p.m., followed by our fall opening reception
- Friday, September 4, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Speakers: Marc Herman (York University), Robert Gleave (University of Exeter), and Melodie Eichbauer (Florida Gulf Coast University)
- All events will be held in the Medieval Institute (715 Hesburgh Library)
- See all details on the lecture page
New Ph.D. Students
Visiting Scholars
- Our 2026–27 Mellon Fellow is Meghan Woolley, Assistant Professor of History at Idaho State University. Professor Woolley received her Ph.D. from Duke University. During her time at the institute, she will be researching and writing her book manuscript, The Heart of Law: Friendship and Emotions in the Early Common Law, which analyzes how a culture valuing emotional connection shaped the development and practice of the English common law in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
- Our 2026–27 Byzantine Fellow, Dimitra Sikalidou, received her Ph.D. from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. During her time at the institute, she will will investigate how religious life in the fortified settlement of Geraki (Laconia, Greece) evolved between 1400 and 1702 under conditions of political instability.
- Our Public Humanities Fellow, Dr. Ashley Castelino, is continuing in his second year. He works closely with the institute’s staff, especially its director of undergraduate studies and engagement, on engagement efforts, and its associate director, on events and communications.
- Our 2025–27 Provost's Postdoctoral Fellow in Medieval Studies, Tzvi Schoenberg, is beginning his second year. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and is researching medieval Jewish Kabbalah and theology, examining analogical structures in 13th–4th century Kabbalah, focusing on linguistic and ontological models.
- We are also hosting Pierre Courtain (Ph.D., Université catholique de Louvain and the Université de Nantes) for the year. During his time here, Dr. Courtain will study the works of Latin Dominican missionaries from the 13th century to shed light on their use of Arabic sources. His work is funded by the Belgian American Educational Foundation.
- Learn more about our visiting scholars
Gameday Tailgate
- Learn more on our Community Engagement page!