M. D. Usher
Lyman-Roberts Professor of Classical Languages and Literature
- Ph.D. in Classical Languages and Literatures, University of Chicago (with distinction)
- M.A. in Classical Languages and Literatures, University of Chicago
- B.A. in Greek and Latin, 91Ƶ (summa cum laude, ΦΒΚ)
Area(s) of expertise
Ancient Mediterranean world, sustainable systems, orality studies, environmental humanities, ancient ecologies.
BIO
I am a UVM alumnus and joined the UVM faculty in 2000. Before attending UVM as an undergraduate I apprenticed in Germany as a post-and-beam carpenter and later earned my Ph.D. in Classics at The University of Chicago. A profile of me and my work appears in UVM Magazine and , the magazine of The University of Chicago’s Division of Humanities. Also an .
I became a member of the Geography and Geosciences faculty in 2021 and am also a faculty member in The Environmental Program, the Food Systems Graduate Program and an affiliate of the Gund Institute for Environment. I teach a variety of courses about the ancient world and in environmental studies. I have also taught in the Liberal Arts Scholars Program (LASP), the Teacher-Advisor Program (TAP), and the Honors College.
I specialize in the ancient Mediterranean world, particularly the languages, literatures, and cultures of Greece and Rome. My interests include orality studies, ancient ecologies, and ancient philosophy. I am also deeply interested in the reception of classical texts in modern works of art, music, and literature. My book Plato’s Pigs and Other Ruminations: Ancient Guides to Living with Nature (Cambridge University Press, 2020) traces modern ideas about sustainability and systems science back to their origins in antiquity, on which topic also I teach a course: “Sustainability: A Cultural History.” (See news, news and news for more information.) Since 2018, I have been overseeing research and a UVM internship in archaeology, paleobotany, sustainable agriculture, and food systems in Italy’s Sabine Hills. (See a video précis of this work, )
In addition to publishing books and articles about the ancient world, I have written two opera libretti and children’s books. Non-academic pursuits include carpentry (I built my own house and outbuildings) and farming (my wife Caroline and I own and operate in Shoreham, where we produce lamb, eggs, and maple syrup on 125 acres).
Publications
Bio
I am a UVM alumnus and joined the UVM faculty in 2000. Before attending UVM as an undergraduate I apprenticed in Germany as a post-and-beam carpenter and later earned my Ph.D. in Classics at The University of Chicago. A profile of me and my work appears in UVM Magazine and , the magazine of The University of Chicago’s Division of Humanities. Also an .
I became a member of the Geography and Geosciences faculty in 2021 and am also a faculty member in The Environmental Program, the Food Systems Graduate Program and an affiliate of the Gund Institute for Environment. I teach a variety of courses about the ancient world and in environmental studies. I have also taught in the Liberal Arts Scholars Program (LASP), the Teacher-Advisor Program (TAP), and the Honors College.
I specialize in the ancient Mediterranean world, particularly the languages, literatures, and cultures of Greece and Rome. My interests include orality studies, ancient ecologies, and ancient philosophy. I am also deeply interested in the reception of classical texts in modern works of art, music, and literature. My book Plato’s Pigs and Other Ruminations: Ancient Guides to Living with Nature (Cambridge University Press, 2020) traces modern ideas about sustainability and systems science back to their origins in antiquity, on which topic also I teach a course: “Sustainability: A Cultural History.” (See news, news and news for more information.) Since 2018, I have been overseeing research and a UVM internship in archaeology, paleobotany, sustainable agriculture, and food systems in Italy’s Sabine Hills. (See a video précis of this work, )
In addition to publishing books and articles about the ancient world, I have written two opera libretti and children’s books. Non-academic pursuits include carpentry (I built my own house and outbuildings) and farming (my wife Caroline and I own and operate in Shoreham, where we produce lamb, eggs, and maple syrup on 125 acres).
Publications
Books
