Professor Dario Gaggio has been selected by the Department of History as the ninth director of the Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies. He began service on August 1, 2025.
“I am honored and excited to direct the Institute as it enters the third decade of its life, secure in its role as the intellectual center of the department and an engine of innovative and rigorous discussion," said Gaggio. "Previous directors, with the crucial contribution of the Institute’s staff and colleagues, have combined intellectual rigor with a commitment to casting bridges connecting the department to a variety of constituencies near and far, making historical reflection more accessible and relevant."
Gaggio has served on the Eisenberg Institute's Steering Committee and was awarded a Faculty Fellowship in 2006-07. He takes over for Professor John Carson, who concluded his three-year term in July.
"I’ve had a wonderful three years as Director of the Eisenberg institute," said Carson. "Minnie Sinha and my other predecessors left the Eisenberg in excellent shape—a vibrant and intellectually stimulating institution that seeks to serve as a hub for scholarship, public engagement, and lively intellectual exchange. I sought to carry on in their footsteps and to maintain the tradition of excellence that they established. I have every confidence that our new director, Dario Gaggio, will be a superb steward of the Institute."
Gaggio will continue the institute's core commitment to fostering cutting-edge historical research, intellectual commitments, and social bonds.
"It takes care, vision, and determination to create and sustain community, especially as unfettered intellectual exchange comes under attack for its ability to hone critical skills and question authority," said Gaggio. "I will strive to preserve the Institute as a space where free debate and the bonds of community can nurture each other and thrive."
The institute will launch a new theme—"Orders and the Unruly"—this fall.
"Dario's wide-ranging interests and commitment to the importance of scholarly conversation promise that the Eisenberg will continue to thrive and grow in new and exciting directlons," said Carson. "I can’t wait to see what he does!"
