Medieval Studies Expert Fiona Somerset Joins University of Connecticut

The voices of the Middle Ages are everywhere in Fiona Somerset’s office at UConn, filling hundreds of books that line her shelves and waiting inside the old microfilm rolls ready to be spooled into her reader in the corner.

 Somerset, who joined UConn’s Department of English this year from Duke, says she has been fascinated throughout her career by connections between those long-ago voices and the issues facing people and society today.

 Now, she’s bringing that curiosity and a wealth of expertise to UConn, drawn by its ambitious program to hire hundreds of new faculty members across the disciplines.

 From Geoffrey Chaucer to William Langland to the mysterious “Pearl Poet,” Somerset is bringing their voices and those of their characters to a new generation of UConn students – and, she hopes, sparking in them the kind of contemplation that launched her own career.

Click here to read this article from UConn Today