The University of New Mexico Institute for Medieval Studies is hosting the 48th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Medieval & Renaissance Association, June 16-18 on the UNM campus. The conference, titled “The Past, Present, and Future of Medieval and Renaissance Texts,” will feature 60 presenters giving talks on a variety of topics over two days.
“It’s hugely exciting to be able to host this at UNM,” said Timothy Graham, the institute’s director. “It’s all part of showing that we’re an active and involved Medieval Center; really one of the most active Medieval Centers across the country.”
Graham, who is organizing the conference along with UNM’s Department of English Chair Anita Obermeier, estimates there will be more than 70 people from across the area attending the conference, a good showing for this type of regional gathering, he said. Attendees will hear academic talks about medieval manuscripts, the renaissance time period and much more.
Of the 60 speakers registered for the event, many are from UNM with 15 being graduate or undergraduate students. Graham said the opportunity to present at a professional conference is something that will go a long way in preparing these students for life after graduation.
“This is incredibly good for our students,” he said. “It helps them really clarify their ideas about their own research and gives them a chance to get professional exposure and establish connections with different faculty in the region.”
Graham said the conference is made possible through support from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, Office of the Vice President for Research, Office of the Provost, the College of Arts & Sciences and the Departments of History and English.
The Institute for Medieval Studies has a rich history of hosting conferences, according to Graham. This event will be the fifth conference the institute has organized since 2007 with another, much larger gathering planned for 2019. That year, the institute will be hosting the biennial conference of the International Society of Anglo-Saxonists, an event that’s taken place around the world.
This year, members of the public and University community are invited to the conference and may attend any of the speaker sessions. To view the conference program, click here.