Teaching in the New Normal: The Study of Medieval Medical Manuscripts in the Time of COVID-19</h1> <article> <h1>Teaching in the New Normal: The Study of Medieval Medical Manuscripts in the Time of COVID-19</h1> <p>hhempste — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 14:20:35 +0000</p> <span>Teaching in the New Normal: The Study of Medieval Medical Manuscripts in the Time of COVID-19</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-07-16T10:20:35-04:00" title="Thursday, July 16, 2020 - 10:20">Thu, 07/16/2020 - 10:20</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><a href="/ben-lee">Ben Lee</a>, professor of classics, describes how a group of faculty and students from �鶹��Ƶ, Duke University, and Coastal Carolina University, have been able to conduct collaborative research on pre-modern medical history, despite the current circumstances that have made typical methods of studying medieval texts—international travel to archives and libraries—impossible. Through the heavy use of technology, the group has studied the Arabic scholar Constantine the African who translated more than two dozen medical treatises from Arabic into Latin. His undertaking made medical knowledge available in Europe that was previously unknown.</p> <hr> <p>For most academics who study ancient and medieval texts and the manuscripts that preserve them, summer is the primary season for traveling internationally to archives and libraries around the world. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down those libraries in March and grounding scholars in their homes, most research has been put on hold. Starting June 1, a small group of faculty and students at �鶹��Ƶ College, Duke University, and Coastal Carolina University decided to develop new methods to move ahead with crucial research in the history of medicine, the manuscripts of Southern Italy, and the 11th century’s earliest translations of Arabic medical authorities into Latin. These manuscripts illuminate a little-known but absolutely crucial moment in history, described by Professor Michael McVaugh, one of the world’s foremost authorities on the history of medicine, as “<a href="http://www.brepols.net/Pages/ShowProduct.aspx?prod_id=IS-9782503579214-1">One of the turning points in the history of Western civilization: the moment when Greco-Arabic medicine was introduced into the Latin European world</a>.” </p> <p>The Virtual Scriptorium Project studies the earliest manuscripts and translations generated in that incredible historical moment between 1075-1100, when the Arabic scholar Constantine the African, a medical man from Tunis, traveled first to the port city of Salerno and then to the Abbey at Monte Cassino. Over a period of roughly 25 years, Constantine translated from Arabic into Latin more than two dozen medical treatises. It was a stunning flood of medical knowledge unknown in Europe before Constantine.</p> <p>One of the shortest but more influential of Constantine’s translations stands out in two particular ways:</p> <ul> <li>As an introduction (<em>Isagoge</em>) to medicine, it became the first treatise of between five and seven original texts in a basic syllabus known as the <em>Articella</em> or <em>Little Art of Medicine</em>, and it was used as the opening text in medical schools across Europe for some 500 years.</li> <li>Amazingly, two early draft manuscripts of the <em>Isagoge</em> survive today that were produced in Constantine’s lifetime and under his direction. They have not been studied, nor have these early draft versions of the text been published.</li> </ul> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>The beginning of the <em>Liber isagogarum</em> in the manuscript Monte Cassino 225, c. 1075-1080. The text here shows corrections made under Constantine’s guidance. The original text Constantine translated was a version of Ḥunayn ibn Isḥāq’s Arabic <em>Medicine for Beginners</em>. Courtesy of Eliza Glaze and used with permission.</figcaption> </figure> <p>It has been the long-time dream of Francis Newton, emeritus professor of Latin at Duke University, and his former student Eliza Glaze, professor of history at Coastal Carolina University, to investigate and publish these earliest versions of the seminal work of Constantine the African. Newton first studied one early manuscript of the <em>Isagoge</em> 31 years ago. It was clear such a study would require a team of scholars and serious Latinists. With research travel plans scuppered by COVID-19, Professor Ben Lee raised funds to support two �鶹��Ƶ classics students, Emma Glen '22 and Han Yang '23, as research assistants for the project. In fewer than three weeks, these assistants became skilled in the study of the difficult and highly calligraphic script of medieval Southern Italy, the Beneventan minuscule, and they are today full partners in the project of preparing an online transcription of the earliest manuscripts of Constantine’s <em>Isagoge.</em></p> <p>The Virtual Scriptorium’s group work focusing on Constantine’s drafts of the Isagoge has been made possible by a convergence of new technologies. Above all, the recent digitization of manuscript images allows the team to study the original documents without traveling to Europe. Zoom’s screen-sharing function allows the five scholars to all see and discuss both the manuscript images and their ongoing transcriptions simultaneously. The two draft manuscripts are both imperfect early versions of the text, so discussing the translator’s and his scribes’ decisions paragraph by paragraph is critical to an emerging understanding of Constantine’s choices. Additionally, Google Docs allows all five to see and edit the transcription document at the same time. That saves a tremendous amount of time circulating drafts, renaming draft versions, and inputting edits.</p> <p>The transcription and analysis of the first manuscript (Paris, BnF n.a.l. 1628) is complete, and the group has just now completed the transcription of the second (Monte Cassino, Archivio della Badia 225). Already a wealth of new information about these earliest surviving witnesses to the text of the Isagoge has been amassed. Neither manuscript is very distant from the wax tablets on which Constantine’s dictated translation was first recorded, but the group now believes the Monte Cassino manuscript to be the earlier version. It is the group’s goal to have transcriptions of three or four of the palaeographically dated earliest manuscripts presented in online format on an �鶹��Ƶ open website; this will be useful to scholars interested in the study of this astounding revolution in the culture of mediaeval Europe and the Mediterranean. Those interested might include historians of medicine, students of mediaeval Latin, art historians, and cultural historians, among others.</p> <p>Junior Emma Glen says she’s expanded her knowledge and skills through this project. “In addition to the obvious benefit to my Latin skills, this research in tracking the spread of Greek and Arabic medical knowledge within mediaeval Europe provides me with a greater understanding of the preservation, transformation, and transfer of knowledge from the classical world, while also allowing me to learn about the history of medicine in Europe and its interactions with the Arabic world.”</p> <p>For Han Yang, a rising sophomore, the experience has been enriching. “We have been working with three wonderful historians, palaeographers, philologists, and—most influential to me—teachers. I would like to compare this experience to the likeness of an apprenticeship, where we get to learn about the basics of reading, editing, and thinking about manuscripts from hands-on exercises. This experience has been quite special for me for a few reasons. First, prior to attending �鶹��Ƶ, I spent months in North Africa, learning classical Arabic culture and thought. I now get to see what I learned from a totally different lens that is the <em>Nachleben</em> of mediaeval Arabic scholarship. Second, as a learner of English, I can feel the hardship Constantine may have endured while producing the Latin translations, along with seeing brilliance in his ambitious undertaking.”</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>The Monte Cassino manuscript, where the Isagoge makes up the final text in a collection of 13 medical texts in all, includes some decorated initials, like this “B” of the remedy known as “Blanca major.” Courtesy of Eliza Glaze; used with permission.</figcaption> </figure> <p>The group is grateful for the generous support of Tom Cooper ’78 and the Cooper Fund for Faculty Development, as well as the Office of Undergraduate Research that are sponsoring this project and research assistants. Coastal Carolina University and Duke University have also contributed materials to support the project, for which the group is grateful. The team plans to continue their studies through the fall semester and publish their findings not just online but also in a scholarly journal.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2020-07-16T12:00:00Z">Thu, 07/16/2020 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>These days, the classroom has taken on new meaning for both faculty and students at �鶹��Ƶ. In this series we are sharing stories from faculty on how they are navigating this new normal.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2414">Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25261">Classical Civilization</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/ben-lee" hreflang="und">Benjamin (Ben) Lee</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/classics" hreflang="und">Classics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">The beginning of the Liber isagogarum in the manuscript Monte Cassino 225, c. 1075-1080.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Eliza Glaze and used with permission.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Faculty Members Receive Promotions</h1> <p>hhempste — Wed, 15 May 2019 18:22:03 +0000</p> <span>Faculty Members Receive Promotions</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-05-15T14:22:03-04:00" title="Wednesday, May 15, 2019 - 14:22">Wed, 05/15/2019 - 14:22</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><ul class="news-grid"> <li> <p>In celebration of the promotions, we asked each about their most memorable experience at �鶹��Ƶ and what they enjoy about being a professor. The following are grouped by rank and listed alphabetically.</p> <p> </p> <h2 class="vertical_line">Promoted to Associate Professor</h2> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Matthew Bahar, associate professor of history</strong></p> <p>“Lately, I’ve reflected a lot on my arrival at �鶹��Ƶ in fall 2012. One encounter that semester is still etched in my mind. While walking in front of Rice Hall on the first day of class, I was approached from across the street by a student who introduced himself, welcomed me to campus, and commented on my job interview talk from the previous February. The brief exchange surprised me and helped ease my first-day jitters. We still keep in touch and enjoy recalling the end of his �鶹��Ƶ career and the beginning of mine. He proved to be only the first of many cordial, earnest, and curious students I’ve encountered here.”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Jennifer Manna</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr></li> <li> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Aaron Goldman, associate professor of biology</strong></p> <p>“My research and teaching interests lie in between several traditional disciplines. At �鶹��Ƶ, I’ve found a vibrant community of students and professors with the same enthusiasm for working across disciplinary boundaries. It’s a real privilege to work here.”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr></li> <li> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Gunnar Kwakye, associate professor of neuroscience</strong></p> <p>“I’ve always been interested in teaching, conducting research with a diverse group of individuals, and giving back to the community. However, I never considered being a professor until retired Professor of Neuroscience Lynne Bianchi recruited me as a visiting assistant professor. I was very impressed with the overall quality, dedication, and enthusiasm of �鶹��Ƶ students, as well as the support and mentorship from faculty and staff. Thus, I decided to pursue a career as a professor at �鶹��Ƶ College. My overarching goals as a professor are to recruit, mentor, teach, conduct research, and inspire a diverse group of students who are the future leaders of the world.”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr></li> <li> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Leslie Kwakye, associate professor of neuroscience</strong></p> <p>“The most enjoyable thing about being a professor is mentoring students in research. I love my research and doing my research, but I like it the most because I get to mentor students. I get to see them excited about research and develop their own scientific thinking and knowledge base —then go out and succeed in their own right.”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr></li> <li> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Paul Thibodeau, associate professor of psychology</strong></p> <p>“What I enjoy most about being a professor is having the opportunity to work with students. I love teaching and mentoring students in research. It’s incredibly rewarding to help students learn new skills and grow.”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr></li> <li> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Lola Thompson, associate professor of mathematics</strong></p> <p>“I took a yearlong sabbatical during my fourth year at �鶹��Ƶ, splitting my time between the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in Germany and the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley. I was nowhere near �鶹��Ƶ, yet I kept running into �鶹��Ƶ students and faculty everywhere! I would see �鶹��Ƶ students in the audiences of my talks at conferences, where they would wait around to give me hugs and fill me in on what I was missing during my year away. While I was living in Germany, I had several colleagues reach out to me when they found themselves in nearby countries—I wound up exploring Vienna, Paris, and Berlin with other �鶹��Ƶ faculty members. When I started my position in Berkeley, I immediately received emails from various Bay Area �鶹��Ƶ alums, who wanted to meet up for coffee or offer me tours of the Googleplex. It was incredible to feel this strong sense of community, even when I was so far away from campus.”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr style="height: 3px; color: #666;"></li> <li> <h2 class="vertical_line">Promoted to Professor</h2> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Margaret Kamitsuka, professor of religion</strong></p> <p>“An aspect of teaching at �鶹��Ƶ that has been gratifying for me is hearing from former students who reconnect and share how their religion department or gender studies courses helped launch their academic and career directions. Because teachers at �鶹��Ƶ are supported in their efforts to mentor students as a whole person, these kinds of teacher-student connections are fostered and prove to be meaningful in the future.”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Jennifer Manna</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr></li> <li> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Tom Newlin, professor of Russian</strong></p> <p>“One of the really wonderful things about being a professor is that every year you have the chance to meet and get to know lots of interesting new people—your students!”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr></li> <li> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Maureen Peters, professor of biology</strong></p> <p>“It’s hard to define the mix of memorable moments that characterize life as an �鶹��Ƶ professor, but the ones that stand out in my mind usually involve gatherings of current students and alumni. These times make me realize how special it is to be a part of a community of curious, thoughtful, and caring people that extends through time and space. It’s wonderful to see how easily Obies meaningfully connect with one another, to witness their zest for life, and to hear about their journeys into professional careers and adulthood. Alumni often reflect on how their �鶹��Ƶ educations have impacted their lives and express their gratitude for their time at �鶹��Ƶ. These events make me proud to be a part of such a formative period for them.”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr></li> <li> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Baron Pineda, professor of anthropology</strong></p> <p>“Although I enjoy being in �鶹��Ƶ, my most memorable work with students has been in London, working with students and doing my own research in the context of the Danenberg-in-London Program. I have done this twice (2010 and 2015), and it allowed me to combine and intensify things that I really enjoy: working closely with students, having great academic resources at my disposal, going to plays and concerts, and traveling.”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Jennifer Manna</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr></li> <li> <div class="grid-container"> <div> <p><strong>Drew Wilburn, professor of classics</strong></p> <p>“I’ve been teaching Magic and Mystery in the Ancient World since I arrived at �鶹��Ƶ, and I love introducing students to the religious and mystical practices of the Greeks and Romans. One of the most memorable—and enjoyable—moments of my career at �鶹��Ƶ built on this, and it expanded my own areas of interest. As one of the faculty on the Danenberg �鶹��Ƶ-in-London Program in spring 2017, I was able to offer the History of Medicine, cotaught with Maureen Peters, and Magic, Witchcraft and Religion from Stonehenge to Harry Potter. I worked closely with the 24 students in the program, and we visited an immense amount of sites and museums related to medicine and magic. With the assistance of alum Tracy Chevalier, we had a sneak preview of <em>Harry Potter and the History of Magic</em> at the British Library. Later, I was able to share my knowledge with alumni by leading a tour of the exhibition when it traveled to New York City this past January. The Danenberg �鶹��Ƶ-in-London program is a unique �鶹��Ƶ opportunity, and I was thrilled to take part in it with our fantastic students.”</p> </div> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Jennifer Manna</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr></li> </ul> <style type="text/css">.grid-container figcaption { color: inherit; position: static; left: 0; bottom: 0; background: none; padding: 0; } ul.news-grid { list-style-type: none; padding: 0; } .grid-container { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 150px; grid-column-gap: 25px; } @media only screen and (max-width: 768px) { .grid-container { grid-template-columns: 100%; grid-row-gap: 20px; } .grid-container img { object-fit: cover; object-position: 50% 0; width: 250px; height: 250px; } } .vertical_line { border-left: 4px solid #A6CE39; padding-left: 10px; } </style> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2019-05-15T12:00:00Z">Wed, 05/15/2019 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Eleven faculty members have been promoted to the rank of professor or associate professor with continuous tenure for the academic year beginning July 1, 2019. </p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2414">Faculty</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25381">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25261">Classical Civilization</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25421">Religion</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=24656">Anthropology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25426">Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25401">Mathematics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/baron-pineda" hreflang="und">Baron Pineda</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/maureen-peters" hreflang="und">Maureen Peters</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/leslie-kwakye" hreflang="und">Leslie Kwakye ’06</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/aaron-goldman" hreflang="und">Aaron Goldman</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/matthew-bahar" hreflang="und">Matthew Bahar</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/history" hreflang="und">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology" hreflang="und">Psychology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/mathematics" hreflang="und">Mathematics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/religion" hreflang="und">Religion</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/anthropology" hreflang="und">Anthropology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Dale Preston ’83</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>