The Big Apple academic has just snagged a Big Deal. The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation has announced Andrew M. Riggsby as one of the esteemed recipients of its 2024 fellowship. Selected from nearly 3,000 hopefuls, Riggsby, a classics professor at the University of Texas at Austin, stands out for his accomplishments and potential in the field, as reported by the university.
Riggsby, who holds the Lucy Shoe Meritt Professor in Classics title, is no stranger to accolades. His work digs deep into Roman history with a twist—bringing cognitive science to the table to dissect ancient minds. With the fellowship under his belt, the scholar is set to work on "Reading Roman Minds," aiming to knit together complex ideas that bridge the ancient and the modern. "It’s an attempt to write the history of the ancient world with help from cognitive science," Riggsby explained in a statement obtained by the University of Texas at Austin, pointing out that the fellowship frees him to connect the dots without day-to-day distractions.
The Guggenheim Foundation is known for investing in brainy elites to tackle pressing problems like politics and climate change. They’ve handed out more than $400 million to intellectuals since 1925. It’s about giving fellows room to make a dent in the world, fast. Established in 1925, they've supported over 19,000 individuals, and the list boasts over 125 Nobel laureates.
Colleagues at UT aren't afraid to sing Riggsby's praises. Sean Gurd, chairman of UT's Department of Classics, told the university's news site, "Andrew Riggsby has an uncanny ability to organize fine-grained and overlooked details into transformative images of Roman history." Calling him a leader in their ranks, Gurd’s proud as a peacock to see Riggsby recognized. With "Reading Roman Minds," the professor dives into his second foray pairing history with the sciences.
