Obermann Center For Advanced Studies
History
The Obermann Center was founded in 1978 by University of Iowa alum and professor emeritus C. Esco Obermann in conjunction with the University of Iowa's Vice President for Research. At the time, it was named University House. Later, its name was changed to the University of Iowa Center for Advanced Studies, before 1993, when it was ultimately renamed to the C. Esco and Avalon L. Obermann Center for Advanced Studies in recognition of the Obermanns' significant financial contributions.
The Obermann Center was originally housed in the University of Iowa's Oakdale Hall. When Oakdale was demolished in 2011, the Obermann Center moved to its current location in a historic Tudor Revival home in downtown Iowa City.
Previous directors of the Obermann Center include Jay Semel, former University of Iowa Vice President for Research (1980–2010); and Teresa Mangum, associate professor of English and Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies (2010–2024). The current director is Luis Martín-Estudillo, professor of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Iowa.
Programming
The Obermann Center's programming is interdisciplinary, including the arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM. They primarily serve faculty and graduate students at the University of Iowa, in addition to researchers from other universities within the United States and abroad. Obermann Center programs include:
- The Obermann Symposium, an annual gathering of scholars and artists every spring. Recent topics have included Afro-Brazilian cinema, disability, and the intersections of archives, memory, and social justice.
- Obermann Conversations, a panel conversation series open to the public. Recent topics have included book bans, labor strikes, and community-building strategies.
- The Humanities for the Public Good program, which seeks to prepare humanities Ph.D. students to make an impact outside of traditional academia.
- Summer seminars.
- Interdisciplinary research grants.
- Writing groups.
- Resident fellows.
Notable associated scholars
- Roderic Ai Camp
- Kenneth Cmiel
- Jane Desmond
- Jorge I. Domínguez
- Margaret Morganroth Gullette
- Eric Heinze
- Herbert Hovenkamp
- Min-Zhan Lu
- Sidney Mintz
- Christopher McKnight Nichols
- John Durham Peters
- William Schweiker
- Elaine Treharne
References
- ^ "Obermann Center for Advanced Studies". Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ "Distinguished Alumni Award: C. Esco Obermann". University of Iowa Center for Advancement. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ Heldt, Diane (July 8, 2010). "UI names new Obermann Center director". The Gazette. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ Hennigan, Gregg (March 11, 2011). "GALLERY: Historic Oakdale Hall at University of Iowa comes down". The Gazette. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ Gibbs, Maria (November 18, 2010). "Obermann gets temp home". The Daily Iowan. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ Revaux, Leslie (April 15, 2024). "Martín-Estudillo named new director of Obermann Center for Advanced Studies". University of Iowa Office of the Vice President for Research. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ Gaughan, Emma (March 28, 2023). "Afro-Brazilian film to take center stage in 'Frequências,' 2023 Obermann Humanities Symposium". The Daily Iowan. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ Kennerly, Mary Helen (March 19, 2019). "Is disability a universal experience? The Obermann Center's 2019 symposium asks provocative questions on disability and identity". Little Village. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ Trainor, Genevieve (February 20, 2018). "UI symposium Against Amnesia: Archives, Evidence and Social Justice draws top scholars". Little Village. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ "Obermann Conversations". Iowa City Public Library. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ McCarver, Katie Ann (April 29, 2019). "Obermann Center grant explores Humanities for Public Good program". The Daily Iowan. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ "UI Humanities for the Public Good". Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ Valerio-Jiménez, Omar; Vaquera-Vásquez, Santiago R.; Fox, Claire F., eds. (2017). "Acknowledgments". The Latina/o Midwest Reader. University of Illinois Press. doi:10.5622/illinois/9780252041211.001.0001. ISBN 9780252099809.