The History Department at UMass Lowell provides a broad introduction to civilizations of the past and present, including those of antiquity, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Read more...

Elizabeth Williams Promoted To Tenured Associate Professor

Elizabeth Williams.

On September 1, 2024, Prof. Elizabeth Williams was promoted to a tenured Associate Professor. Since joining the History faculty in 2017, Prof. Williams has been the department's expert in the history of the Middle East and the Ottoman Empire. She has published journal articles and book chapters on environmental and agricultural history in this region. In 2023, she published a monograph with Stanford University Press: "States of Cultivation: Imperial Transition and Scientific Agriculture in the Eastern Mediterranean."

Read Elizabeth Williams' Faculty Bio.

Meet Our Students and Alumni

Sarah Elizabeth McDermott center flanked by the other members of Protohype
Sarah Elizabeth McDermott '22
History

Sarah Elizabeth McDermott is grateful for scholarships that are helping her to graduate debt-free, because in the future she won’t have to say “No” to any opportunities.

UMass Lowell is an affordable school, and it’s a great education.
Read More About Sarah Elizabeth McDermott 
Neil Oliveria pictured with his family after being inducted into history honors society, Phi Alpha Theta
Neil Oliveria '18, '19
History & Education

Neil Oliveria, already a grandfather, is pursuing degrees in history and education so he can embark on a new career as a teacher.

Coming to UMass Lowell is the best decision I’ve made in the past 20 years.
Read More About Neil Oliveria 
Group of UMass Lowell students pose at an outdoor site in Madrid, Spain
Nicholas Trunfio '23
Business

Nicholas Trunfio immersed himself in history while studying abroad.

One of my hopes is to be a history teacher later on in life.
Read More About Nicholas Trunfio 
Kady Phelps with Kim Cosgrove in front of an exhibit they recently completed about St. Joseph’s Hospital, which was located where University Crossing now stands
Kady Phelps '17, '18
History

Kady Phelps came to UMass Lowell to major in education, but history caught up with her. She earned her master’s degree in history and the Excellence in Students Cultural Heritage Award for her work on an exhibit about Portuguese immigration to Lowell.

I feel really blessed to be in Massachusetts and here in Lowell in particular, with all the history.
Read More About Kady Phelps 
Cameron McKenzie in the Roman aqueduct in Segovia, Spain through the UMass Lowell Study Abroad program.
Cameron McKenzie '24
Criminal Justice (History minor)

Honors transfer student Cameron McKenzie squeezed four study abroad trips into her short time at UML.

Do the things you want to do when you can, because you don’t know when there will be limitations.
Read More About Cameron McKenzie 
  • Seven people pose for a group photo. One of them is holding a piece of paper.

    NEHA Conference Inspires History Majors to Embrace Academic Research

    Seven UML history majors, led by adjunct instructor Shawn Driscoll, attended a recent New England Historical Association conference, broadening their perspectives on academic research and the presentation of historical findings.
    Department News
  • Two people sitting at a table look at a laptop screen while another person looks on.

    Students Sharpen Research Skills at Wikipedia Edit-a-thon

    The UML Library recently hosted its third annual Wikipedia edit-a-thon, where students learned how to improve articles on the popular online encyclopedia. This year’s event focused on raising the profiles of notable Asian American and Pacific Islander community members on the site.
    Featured Story
  • Book Party 1

    History Professor Helps Second Graders Become Published Authors

    Distinguished University Prof. Robert Forrant held a “book party” to culminate a monthslong collaboration with a second grade class from Lowell’s McAuliffe Elementary School in which he helped the students write and publish their own books.
    Featured Story

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