Elaine Fantham Award in Public Engagement

This award is offered in memory of Professor Elaine Fantham, well known internationally for the wide range and accessibility of her scholarship in Latin Literature and Roman social history. She held positions at the University of St. Andrews, Indiana University Bloomington, the University of Toronto, Trinity College, and Princeton University. She was no stranger to the Association, serving on the editorial board of Phoenix (1976-79), as vice-president of the Association (1982-84), and as its Honorary President (2001-6). Professor Fantham was also dubbed “the rockstar of the Classics world” for her public engagement. From 1996 on, she contributed short comments on classical topics to National Public Radio in the United States, where she interested millions in the study of classical antiquity. This award is thus a fitting tribute to Professor Fantham who gave a public and very human voice to our discipline.

The Elaine Fantham Award in Public Engagement honours CAC members for their exceptional projects, performances, or events that address communities outside the academy and that engage those communities with the ancient world, its reception, and/or individual research into these fields.

The type of activity and the medium of engagement (such as face to face, film, radio, print, podcast, video, exhibit and so on) are not restricted, however the engagement must be based on responsible scholarship. Social media engagement, on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, may be a factor, but not the primary medium. The award recognizes the importance and benefits of such engagement to communities, the field of Classics, as well as scholarly projects.