Professor M. Elizabeth (Betsy) Boone from the University of Alberta's Department of Art and Design was selected from a national applicant pool as an NEH Summer Scholar to attend one of this year's 23 seminars and institutes supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Endowment is a federal agency in the United States that supports summer enrichment opportunities at colleges, universities, and cultural institutions, so that faculty can work collaboratively with other experts in humanities disciplines.
Professor Boone participated in an institute entitled "The Alhambra and Spain's Islamic Past." The four-week program, directed by Professor D. Fairchild Ruggles and Professor Oscar E. Vázquez of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, took place in Granada (Spain) in June and July 2015. There they made multiple visits to the famous monument, studying its construction and use in the 14th and 15th centuries, its rediscovery as a site of romantic inspiration in the 19th century, and its eventual transformation into an internationally-recognized UNESCO World heritage site. The 25 scholars selected to participate in the program each received an award to cover their travel, study, and living expenses.
Photo credit: Jeffrey Schrader