University of Washington

This summer marked the retirement of Professor Sandra Joshel, historian of slavery in ancient Rome. She came to UW in 2003, from Boston College and the New England Conservatory of Music. "Sandra has earned the deep respect of historians of antiquity worldwide," said department chair Lynn Thomas. "Her many books and articles have won numerous prizes. But what drew Sandra, like many of our faculty, to UW was her belief in public education, and her commitment to the idea that all students, regardless of background, deserve an excellent education." As colleague Adam Warren notes, excellence in teaching is something Joshel's students have always received. "Sandra's lecture courses have been among the most popular in our curriculum. She is known for innovation and experimentation in her teaching, making the lecture hall an exciting and dynamic space for student learning. Her intellectual curiosity and energy have been transformative for students and colleagues alike." For Professor Quintard Taylor, his 16 years in the Scott and Dorothy Bullitt Chair for American History at UW have been the pinnacle of his time in academia. Now retirement promises to mark a new stage in an acclaimed career that has spanned five institutions and 44 years. "In dozens of books and articles, Quintard has reshaped the field of African American history, highlighting the particular significance of African Americans in the western United States" noted colleague Jim Gregory. "While compiling this distinguished body of scholarship, Quintard has also remained generous with his time. He has given frequent talks in the Seattle area and the region, and built a global profile by presenting more than 150 public lectures at universities across the United States and on several continents. " In retirement, Taylor will continue to teach at UW on a part-time basis. He relishes the ongoing opportunity to engage students in the productive exchange of ideas, while also pursuing new ways to bring American history to people of all ages beyond the boundaries of the university. Professor Kenneth Pyle retired at the end of the 2014-15 academic year, his fiftieth at UW. In that time, Pyle has made vast contributions to the study of modern Japan. He has authored or edited numerous books, most recently Japan Rising: The Resurgence of Japanese Power and Purpose. Among countless honors and accomplishments, he was founding president of the National Bureau of Asian Research, founding editor of the Journal of Japanese Studies, director of the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies for a decade, and decorated by the Emperor of Japan with the Order of the Rising Sun. "Ken has had a storied career as a historian, mentor, and teacher," noted Professor Anand Yang. "Under his leadership, the Jackson School became truly global in its interests and expertise. Ken has also helped make Seattle a hub for cutting-edge research on Asia." Pyle is retiring from full-time teaching but his academic career remains in high gear. In addition to teaching two courses at UW next year, he will also be completing a book on the role of Japan in the American world order. Carol Thomas, professor of Greek history, has retired after fifty years at UW. Over that span, Thomas recalls many times of being blessed by a moment of particular good fortune or "tuche" in Greek—and four touches of "tuche" in particular: being hired in 1964 as the only woman on the faculty; surviving to receive tenure in 1971; marriage to her colleague Richard Johnson as the first married faculty couple in the department; and election as president of the Association of Ancient Historians for two three-year terms. But in truth, it was the university's good fortune to benefit from Thomas's extraordinary dedication and energy. Author of 17 books and countless articles, an educator of thousands of students, Thomas nevertheless found time to serve on numerous committees and boards at the university and beyond. As Johnson noted, "I am a biased observer but I can also claim inside information. Over the years, I have seen Carol play a defining and inspiring role in the History Department's development. She has done this by pursuing scholarship and teaching as a cooperative endeavor, forging a community of students and scholars in a pattern of mutual support." Retirements HISTORY STUDENT WINS PHI ALPHA THETA AWAR D Senior Cathleen Buzan was awarded the Harry W. Fritz Award for Outstanding Paper of the 2015 Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference. Her paper was selected from the nearly 100 papers presented at the conference, by both undergraduates and graduate students. Congratulations, Cathleen! D E P A R T M E N T O F H I S T O R Y   3 history matters

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