March 20, 2014
Tobias Gregory, associate professor of English, has been awarded a research fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS).
The fellowship will enable Gregory to spend the next academic year researching his book Milton's Strenuous Liberty . The book focuses on 17th-century poet John Milton's writings about liberty, which Gregory describes as "an important theme in [Milton's] poetry and prose." Gregory will examine what Milton meant by liberty and how that understanding shifted over the writer's career.
Gregory will conduct his research at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. The library is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare materials and other collections of rare Renaissance books, manuscripts, and works of art.
"For scholars in my field, English Renaissance literature, the Folger is one of the best research libraries in the world," says Gregory. "We're lucky to have it just three Metro stops from CUA.
"I'm honored to receive the ACLS fellowship. Since the competition for such fellowships is strong, to be selected is a real vote of confidence in your work," adds Gregory.
"It's also a great practical help. Faculty working lives are always balancing acts, and finding uninterrupted time to finish long-term projects can be a challenge. That's what this fellowship gives me. I'm grateful to the ACLS, and also to Provost James Brennan, Arts and Sciences Dean L.R. Poos, Associate Provost for Research Ralph Albano, and my colleagues in the English department for their support."
Gregory has received previous awards from the Folger, the Huntington Library, and the International Spenser Society.
The ACLS is a private, nonprofit federation of 71 national scholarly organizations that represent American scholarship in the humanities and related social sciences. The ALCS aims to advance scholarship by awarding fellowships and strengthening relations among learned societies, according to the organization's website.