Tom Havens is Professor Emeritus, History and East Asian Languages and Cultures. Learn about Professor Havens' background by visiting his Emeriti Academy Member Profile.
John Lie is a Professor of Sociology. Professor Lie's scholarly interest is social theory. In this video, he shares how a professor’s question caused him to rethink his initial interest in mathematics and eventually led him to a major and academic career in sociology.
Junko Habu is a Professor of Anthropology. Her research includes prehistoric archaeology of Japan and East Asia, human environmental interaction and long term sustainability of human cultures and societies in the past and present. Professor Habu grew up in Japan and shares in her video how her childhood experiences shaped her interest in archaeology. She knew early on that she wanted to pursue archaeology but her decision to major in it was an intentional choice.
Steven Vogel is a Professor of Political Science and Political Economy. In this video, Professor Vogel discusses his undergraduate experience at Princeton University and how he chose between two diametrically opposed disciplines, Public and International Affairs and Comparative Literature.
Thomas Gold is Professor Emeritus of Sociology. In his video, he shares his journey from an unexpected interest in China as an undergraduate student to learning Chinese and teaching English in Taiwan to earning a PhD in sociology with a focus on Chinese Studies.
Lisa Maher is a Professor of Anthropology who has been working in the eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Asia for twenty years. In her video, she discusses how watching “Indiana Jones” and a high school teacher passionate about the past and archaeology shaped her interest in studying prehistory archaeology.
Ruth Tringham, Professor Emerita, Anthropology, was born and raised in the UK. In this video, she shares how some of the same qualities of serendipity, opportunities and the discovery of passion cut across differences of educational systems between the UK and the US.
Kent G. Lightfoot is a Professor of Anthropology.. Trained in the field of North American archaeology, he specializes in the study of late pre-colonial people and their subsequent encounters with diverse European colonial regimes. In this video, he shares the story of how he pursued his love of archaeology despite his parents’ expectations of becoming a medical doctor.
