Completing my dissertation at the University at Buffalo left me with two notable sentiments. First, a sense of accomplishment at having completed my graduate studies, and second a sense of excitement at the prospect of beginning my post-dissertation career. Two weeks after defending my dissertation, I accepted a position as assistant professor of Roman archaeology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada. This school is not far from where I began my career in Classics as an undergraduate at the University of Toronto. At Laurier I will teach a range of courses in Latin and Roman history and archaeology, and continue with my research on the pottery and economic history of Roman Greece.
Along with revising my dissertation for publication, I am working on a handbook of Roman amphora types attested at the site of Corinth and will be beginning a synthetic study of the landscape archaeology of Roman Crete. The daunting nature of accomplishing these research goals, while also adjusting to an increased teaching load and requirements of professional service is somewhat alleviated by my preparation at Buffalo. From day one, graduate students at the University at Buffalo teach, quickly learning how to organize their schedules to accommodate class prep, coursework, and research. I also developed strong friendships with many of the graduate students and faculty in the Department of Classics which helped to ensure that the stress never got too overwhelming. I will miss being at Buffalo, but am grateful for the preparation I received as I move into the next stage of my career.
