Claire Seiler Named Inaugural Kalaris Chair in the History of Science
prestigious appointment reflects Seiler’s exceptional scholarship, innovative approach
by Tony Moore
Dickinson is pleased to announce that Professor of English Claire Seiler has been named the first Kalaris Chair in the History of Science. This prestigious appointment reflects Seiler’s exceptional scholarship and innovative approach to interdisciplinary research, as well as her commitment to making scholarly work accessible and impactful beyond academia.
The Kalaris Chair in the History of Science is a newly established renewable appointment that reflects the interdisciplinary ethos of Dickinson. Established by alumnus Tom Kalaris '76, a former member of Dickinson's Board of Trustees and founder of Saranac Partners, together with his wife, Karen Welty Kalaris ’77, this endowed chair recognizes the importance of faculty to Dickinson’s world-class academic program. They intend for this new chair to support a deserving faculty member whose work is at the intersections of science and history and whose teaching, research and college service are recognized as excellent by their peers
Their gift enables the chair’s holder to undertake ambitious and interdisciplinary projects that push the boundaries of traditional academic scholarship.
Seiler’s appointment as the Kalaris Chair also honors her consistent dedication to those principles and her proven ability to lead projects that bridge academic and public spheres. Recently, she has had papers accepted in Modern Languages Roundtables (“Futures of the Medical Humanities” and “Making Public Health Humanities”) and published “Realism vs. Modernism vs. Influenza” in a special issue of Studies in the Novel, a Johns Hopkins University Press quarterly, and “J.G. Farrell’s Lost Polio Novel” in PMLA.
"Claire’s work exemplifies the highest caliber of scholarship, and her interdisciplinary approach to the cultural history of polio and the polio vaccine is both timely and timeless,” says Renée Cramer, dean and provost of the college, noting Seiler’s current book project examining the history of the disease and vaccine from the 1880s to 1965. "Her commitment to making this work public-facing and engaging with fields ranging from literature to public health is truly inspiring."
Seiler’s polio project will contribute to fields including the history of science and medicine, the role of public health in post-Civil War America and the evolution of disease in popular and literary discourse.
The work also aligns with her leadership on a $350,000 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation project, “Beyond the New Normal: Disability, Literature, and Reimagining Social Justice,” which established disability studies as a focal area of faculty interest and attention at Dickinson. Seiler has reinforced her commitment to fostering scholarly connections across disciplines, and her intellectual and organizational talents were critical to the Mellon grant’s success. That work has placed her at the forefront of working with faculty in biology and those contributing to the pre-health curriculum to secure funding for medical and scientific humanities research and teaching.
“I am deeply honored to be named the inaugural Kalaris Chair in the History of Science,” says Seiler, who was awarded Dickinson’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2024. "Tom and Karen’s generosity in endowing this chair is a tremendous gift to Dickinson’s academic landscape. It allows scholars like me the support and flexibility to dive deeper into research that bridges disciplines and makes meaningful connections with broader communities.”
Seiler’s appointment followed a competitive process, with eight initial nominations and five formal applications from a diverse group of mid-career scholars representing disciplines as varied as art history, literature, accounting, German studies and chemistry.
“As a scholar, my goal is to explore how the history of science intersects with literature and culture, and this chair will enable me to pursue ambitious research and to find and share lost histories of polio, in particular, with scholarly and public audiences,” says Seiler, whose work has also been recognized with Dickinson’s Constance & Rose Ganoe Memorial Award for Inspirational Teaching and the Excellence in Teaching Award, National Society for Leadership and Success, both in 2019. ”I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to contributing to Dickinson’s vibrant academic community.”
The Kalaris Chair reinforces Dickinson’s dedication to fostering exceptional scholarship and interdisciplinary collaboration, highlighting the institution’s role as a leader in liberal arts education. By supporting projects that intersect scholarship with public engagement, the chair reflects the college’s commitment to pushing academic boundaries while maintaining a meaningful connection with broader communities
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Published May 28, 2025