Professor of History Michael Robinson has been selected as the University of Hartford’s Distinguished Teaching Humanist for 2026-28.
In this role, Robinson will direct a two-year Public History Initiative program that will foster interdisciplinary collaboration between faculty members in the arts, humanities, and professional disciplines. The goal is to offer a series of lectures and workshops where faculty can learn from outside experts, cultivate partnerships with local institutions, and acquire concrete strategies to help humanities majors secure internships and succeed after graduation.
According to History and Philosophy Department Chair and Professor Steven Rosenthal, Robinson’s proposal will enhance the history curriculum throughout the University. “His program shows the real-word relevance of history to our students along with the promise of hands-on internships with local organizations. To me this seems like the perfect way to blend the goals of a critical-thinking humanities curriculum with the real-life benefits of career placement.”
Robinson’s commitment to making history accessible extends to his teaching, including experiential learning in his Atlantic History course, as well as to his podcast, Time to Eat the Dogs: On Science, History, and Exploration, and his work as acquisitions editor for Hartford Books at Wesleyan University Press. Through these roles, he has built strong connections with public history leaders across Connecticut and collaborates on projects that bring regional history to wider audiences.
The Distinguished Teaching Humanist (DTH) enlivens teaching and improves pedagogy in the humanities and has considerable discretion and opportunity to innovate in the pursuit of this mission. The DTH conducts workshops on pedagogical issues of general concern for University of Hartford faculty and consults with individual faculty members and observes their classes upon their request. In addition, the DTH provides leadership for the content and administration of all aspects of the Distinguished Visiting Professor program and partners with the Distinguished Visiting Professor to create the intellectual substance of the annual summer workshop.