Faculty members Denise N. Green ’07 and Rachana Kamtekar have received grants for preservation and research projects from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The awards were announced Dec. 12 by the National Humanities Alliance (NHA).
Green, assistant professor of fiber science and apparel design in the College of Human Ecology, was awarded a $6,000 Preservation Assistance Grant to support a general preservation assessment of the Cornell Costume and Textile Collection and hire a consultant for the project. Green serves as director of the collection, which consists of more than 10,000 items. Holdings of historical interest include clothing from the family of Mark Twain, Eleanor Roosevelt’s 1937 inaugural ball gown and Nigerian traditional dress from the 1950s, the NHA noted.
Kamtekar, professor of philosophy and classics in the College of Arts and Sciences, received a $60,000 research fellowship for her book project, “Human Agency and Cause From Aristotle to Alexander,” on the notion of moral agency in ancient philosophy. Fellowships granted by the NEH Division of Research Programs include stipends of up to $5,000 a month, to support individuals pursuing advanced research that is of value to humanities scholars or general audiences or both.
The NEH, an independent federal agency, awarded a total of $14.8 million in grants announced this month to support 253 humanities projects nationwide.
“Collectively, NEH grants provide access to the humanities in every state and territory,” NHA Executive Director Stephen Kidd said in a statement. “[The] investments generate public-private partnerships, cutting-edge research, promote teaching and provide lifelong learning opportunities. They create jobs and community hubs in rural and urban areas alike.”
The NEH has a “crucial role in preserving our nation’s cultural heritage,” Kidd said, including funding the work of 56 state humanities councils and supporting digital humanities projects.
