As the Central New York Humanities Corridor embarks on a new academic year, it
will benefit from new leadership from Syracuse University. Gregg Lambert, the
founding director of SU's Humanities Center, has also been named the Humanities
Corridor's principal investigator and project director. Lambert assumes the twin roles
from former SU College of Arts and Sciences Dean Cathryn Newton, who was vital
in securing a $1 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to establish
the large-scale partnership among SU, Cornell University and the University of
Rochester.
With the Humanities Corridor, Lambert will oversee more than 100 scholars whose
work is divided into six thematic clusters: philosophy, linguistics, religions and
cultures, visual arts and cultures, musicology/music history, and humanities at the
intersection of science/technology. "I will work closely with the clusters to establish
sustained and vital relationships that will evolve well into the future," says Lambert,
who also serves as Dean's Professor of the Humanities. "I also plan to incorporate the
new Humanities Center into the next phase of research activities, public events and
other new initiatives, benefiting not only the participating institutions, but also the
CNY community at large."
Lambert is working with the Humanities Corridor on a full slate of fall activities,
including a visible memories conference at SU Oct. 2-4; a conference on Indian
Ocean religion and culture at Cornell Oct. 3-5; a concert of Indian desert music at SU
Oct. 7; the annual meeting of the North East Linguistic Society at Cornell Nov. 7-9;
and a yearlong composer apprentice project involving SU, Cornell and Rochester's
Eastman School of Music.
"The Central New York Humanities Corridor is fortunate to have Professor Lambert
in this new leadership position," says George M. Langford, dean of SU's College of
Arts and Sciences. "He exemplifies the interdisciplinary research and innovation that
goes on at SU and in the Humanities Corridor. His involvement will surely position
Central New York as a leader in cutting-edge humanities scholarship."
Lambert began his career at SU in 1996 as assistant professor of English and was
promoted to full professor in 2007. In June, he took over as director of the Humanities
Center after a three-year appointment as chair of the English department. "I envision
the Humanities Center as the nexus where SU faculty members and graduate
students can collaborate with each other and with scholars from outside the
University," says Lambert, adding that he wants to build on existing relationships in
the Humanities Corridor.
Located in the historic, newly renovated Tolley Building, the Humanities Center
houses the Humanities Corridor, the Imagining America consortium, the Humanities
Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program and several undergraduate interdisciplinary
programs.
Lambert is author of eight books and critical editions. He holds a Ph.D. in
comparative literature from the University of California, Irvine. He is the recipient of
numerous academic awards and honors, including the 2008 Outstanding Alumni
Achievement Award from Pacific University in Oregon, where he earned a bachelor's
degree in English.
