Early Career Scholars of Medieval Iberia Discuss
Research and Teaching in the Time of COVID-19

Final grades had been submitted. Graduation ceremonies, unfortunately, largely had not been attended. A long summer stretched before us with fewer or no social gatherings and trips, whether for recreation or for research. Moments of relaxation would be tainted with the mounting uncertainty of confronting a fall semester under the threat of COVID-19.

Rather than give in to gloom, some colleagues and I determined to spend time this summer reflecting on our experiences as early career scholars during the world’s worst pandemic in over a century. Our thoughts turned to designing lessons and projects that helped mediate between course content and students’ anxieties (Menaldi); pivoting courses of various levels to online formats (O’Brien); participating in virtual conferences (Ivers); and exploring our research interests in creative -and tasty- ways (Cravens). The contributors to this informal critical cluster hope our experiences and reflections will elicit smiles of recognition and empathetic groans from our peers, open windows into our research and teaching for those at different stages of their careers, and provide inspiration and amusement for scholars of all types as we approach the fall.

-Christi Ivers, University of Dallas

Would you like to share your experience or respond to ours? Leave a comment below or join us in the forum.

Cravens_Archives_1 AUG 20