First Clark Chair of History appointed

Outram

D orinda Outram has joined the College faculty as the first holder of the Franklin W. and Gladys I. Clark Chair of History, established by a generous bequest from University alumnus Franklin Clark and his wife, Gladys. Franklin Clark earned a bachelor's degree in history from the College in 1930 and a master's degree in history in 1933. The history department received a bequest from the Clarks in 1996.

"I was very happy to accept this appointment because the Department of History here is internationally known, and I'm very proud to be part of it," Outram said. "I'm also happy to be in a department where the wide range of strengths supports the study of the historical interconnections of many different subjects."

The author of five books, two of which have been translated, Outram has written on women in science, the French Revolution, the Enlightenment, and on the naturalist Georges Cuvier, a towering figure in the establishment of scientific disciplines, such as paleontology, geology, and comparative anatomy in the 19th century. Her interdisciplinary commitment also is demonstrated by her teaching of a wide variety of courses in British and American universities on environmental history, the history of science, the French Revolution, the Enlightenment, and general European history. She has been teaching courses at Rochester on the history of the body and on the history of exploration from Columbus to David Livingstone.

After earning her doctoral degree from the University of Cambridge, Outram held teaching posts in London, Montreal, and Ireland. She has been honored with research awards, fellowships, and visiting professorships at institutions around the world.