By Charlotte Brookins
Robert Bork, professor and director of graduate studies in the School of Art and Art History, is one of only seven fellows named to the Medieval Academy of America’s 2024 Fellowship Class.
The Medieval Academy of America (MAA) was first established in 1925 and works to propagate a scholarly community with the goal of deepening and disseminating knowledge of medieval history in a way that is equitable, accessible, and inclusive. The fellowship class is nominated on an annual basis, with up to 150 fellows at one time.
“I feel deeply honored to join this group, which includes only a few art historians,” says Bork.
As described on its website, the purpose of the MAA’s fellowship program is to honor long-term academic achievements in the field of medieval studies. Fellows work as a group to use their raised profile as medievalists to ensure the continued vitality of their field.
Bork, who has been with the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for just over 25 years, says his time at the university has contributed to his development as a scholar and professor in many ways.
“Most concretely, the university has supported my work with internal grants such as the Faculty Scholar program, the Arts and Humanities Initiative, and grants for conference and research travel,” Bork explains, referring to the AHI-funded trip in which Bork and a small group of students and staff traveled to France. On this trip, the group used laser scanners to create precise 3D models of Gothic cathedrals important to Bork’s current research.
“The university has also supported my applications for external grants such as those from the Humboldt Foundation, the National Gallery of Art, and the American Council of Learned Societies, which have been crucial to my book projects,” he adds.
Bork has appeared in numerous publications detailing his research in medieval studies.
Bork majored in physics before embarking on his career in architectural history, and he notes that much of his research utilizes his multifaceted background, something that is supported by the university and college’s strength in a variety of programs.
“I would urge students to take advantage of this breadth by taking a wide range of classes during their years here,” says Bork. “At the same time, I encourage students to share their diverse interests with their faculty mentors, since undergraduate research can open up valuable and unexpected opportunities, as I have seen in my own career.”
Bork will be formally inducted as an MAA Fellow during the organization’s annual meeting in March.