Office of the Provost

Dear Colleagues,

I’m pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Anna Mae Duane as the next director of the Humanities Institute (UCHI) effective August 23, 2023.

Professor Duane was selected from a talented pool of internal applicants. She has demonstrated a commitment to and understanding of the humanities across a range of disciplines and support for the diverse voices and perspectives that constitute UCHI. Throughout her career, Professor Duane has facilitated innovative programming to promote collaboration and engage scholars in the humanities. She has been the recipient of two UCHI fellowships and is deeply involved in interdisciplinary scholarship. Her research covers a wide array of subjects including American literature, childhood studies, African American literature, literary and critical theory, and disability studies.

Professor Duane joined UConn in 2004 and is a professor of English. She served as the director of the American Studies Program where she developed extensive leadership and administrative skills that lead her to successfully develop curricular resources, engage in public outreach, and manage budgets. In addition to her UCHI fellowships, she was an invited scholar of The Great Stories Club, a NEH-funded non-profit in which scholars of children’s literature collaborated with librarians across the country to devise reading group curricula for incarcerated and at-risk youth. She is also an invited member of the Yale Future of Slavery Studies working group, which brings together an international panel of experts to engage the afterlives of slavery in the U.S. and abroad. Professor Duane is the recipient of several awards and grants including a Fulbright fellowship.

In its 21^st year, UCHI has a well-established presence both regionally and nationally, in great part due to the strong leadership of Dr. Michael Lynch and the dedicated, talented team of institute staff and UCHI affiliates. Professor Duane has articulated a clear and promising vision to continue the advancement of the institute including mentoring programs for diverse and mid-career humanities faculty, and I am confident in her ability to succeed in this new role.

I would like to thank the search committee, chaired by Professor Jeffrey Ogbar, and all of the community members who participated in the interview process and public forums. I’d also like to thank Senior Vice Provost Jeffrey Shoulson, who played a large role in overseeing the search process.

Please join me in congratulating Professor Duane on this appointment.

Sincerely,

Anne

Anne D’Alleva, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

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