100 Years of the History PhD Program

Since 1926, the History Department has educated generations of scholars, teachers, public historians, and leaders. Join us as we celebrate one hundred years of research, discovery, and community.

Please note: if you are unable to attend in person, this event will also be streamed online.

Please RSVP

Event Schedule

9:15AM: Welcome & Introductions

9:30AM-11:00AM: Panel 1

Transfers of People, Resources, and Power:  Histories of Contestations over Justice

• Bianca Lopez (Southern Methodist University): ‘The Horse Traders, Salt Farmers, and Sailors of Late Medieval Zadar: Cultural Interaction and Everyday Commerce in an Eastern Adriatic Port City’
• Amanda Scott (Penn State): ‘The Smallest of Criminals: Felony Exile of Children in Early Modern Spain’
• John Aerni-Flessner (Michigan State): ‘Selling Gravity, Perpetuating Inequality: Apartheid, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, and Contemporary Protest’

11:00AM-11:30AM: BREAK

11:30AM-1:00PM: Panel 2 

Imperial Dreams and Post-Imperial Possibilities

• Benjamin Cawthra (CSU Fullerton): ‘The Redemptive Lens: Envisioning World War II Era Italy’
• En Li (UT Dallas): ‘Aloha China: Searching for Hula Dance in 1930s Shanghai and Singapore’

1:00PM-2:00PM: LUNCH

2:00PM-3:00PM: Panel 3

Mentoring and Training in the Wash U Doctoral Program in History

• James Palmer (Grinnell)
• Laura Westhoff (UMSL) 
• Chang Xu (Rice University)
• Justin Meyer (Principia College & Wash U): 

3.00PM-3.15PM: BREAK

3.15PM-4.15PM: Panel 4 [chair TBA]

Career Trajectories After Wash U

• Kevin Butterfield (Kluge Center, Library of Congress)
• Tanya Roth (MICDS)
• Sara Jay (John Burroughs School) 
• David Pennington (Webster University)

4.15-5.30PM: CLOSING RECEPTION

You are invited to a Zoom webinar!

• When: Sep 19, 2026 09:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
• Topic:  100 Years of the History PhD Program
• Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android:

• https://wustl.zoom.us/j/98997162903

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  Webinar ID: 989 9716 2903

• International numbers available: https://wustl.zoom.us/u/aezgMSZ4VU