Doyun Kim: Building Nahuatl Skills at the Newberry Library

With support from MEMS, Doyun Kim participated in the 2025 Summer Institute in Nahuatl at the Center for Renaissance Studies at the Newberry Library in Chicago. This two-week, intensive program—led by experts in the field—helped students develop essential reading skills in Nahuatl, a key language for research on colonial-era ecology and visual culture in central Mexico. The institute combined language instruction, text translation workshops, and critical discussions about indigenous sources, emphasizing Nahua perspectives and the diversity of Nahuatl variations across Mesoamerica. Doyun also explored rare manuscripts and codices in the Newberry Library’s collections, gaining valuable experience with primary sources. In addition to linguistic training, this summer’s MEMS support allowed Doyun to participate in an upcoming Spanish Paleography course.

A primary source from Doyun's time at the Newberry Library

Genevra Higginson: Exploring the Intersection of Art and Science at the Morgan Library & Museum

Thanks to the Diane Owens Hughes Scholarship and MEMS support, Genevra Higginson traveled to New York to participate in the 2025 Morgan Drawing Institute graduate seminar, "Drawing Nature, 1500–1900." Led by curators and art historians at the Morgan Library & Museum, the program brought together participants from diverse fields to study natural history drawings spanning several centuries and regions. Through close examination of rare works, including those by Merian, Rembrandt, and Audubon, she broadened her understanding of how artistic processes both shape and reflect scientific knowledge. Technical art history sessions, such as analyzing sketchbooks with infra-red reflectography and learning about historical methods for achieving iridescent color, illuminated the layered and collaborative nature of natural history illustration. This hands-on experience directly informs Genevra’s dissertation research on the interplay between printmaking, botanical art, and knowledge production in early modern Europe. The seminar proved invaluable for deepening both her scholarly insights and technical knowledge through collaborative study and engaging with leading conservators and curators.

A sheet from a sketchbook, under a microscope and with raking light.

Julia LaPlaca: Investigating Historical Tapestries in Scotland

With the support of a MEMS summer research grant, Julia LaPlaca spent over two weeks in Scotland conducting hands-on research for her dissertation, “Woven Flesh, Woven Stone: The Affordances of Tapestries in Altar Environments, 1350–1580.” Focusing on Franco-Flemish and German/Swiss altar tapestries, Julia closely examined ten exemplary works from the renowned Burrell Collection in Glasgow, both on public display and in the collection’s storage. Access to the Burrell’s viewing rooms and expert conservation staff allowed for an in-depth examination of these rare textiles, which directly informs her scholarly analysis of how tapestries shaped religious spaces and experiences in the late medieval and early modern period. Julia also forged valuable connections with textile specialists in Glasgow and Edinburgh, attending lectures, private tours, and viewing both historic and contemporary tapestry projects—including the remarkable Unicorn Tapestries replicas at Stirling Castle. This immersive research trip provided Julia with fresh insights and professional relationships that will support her ongoing dissertation work.

Examining the tapestry Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, flanked by Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Barbara (Southern Netherlandish, c. 1475-1510 Burrell Collection 46.14)

Wanhan Xing: Advancing Classical Japanese Studies in Kyoto

Supported by MEMS summer funding, Wanhan Xing spent six weeks in Kyoto, Japan, deepening their expertise in classical Japanese language and literature. Through an intensive course, Wanhan learned to read texts ranging from poetry to epic novels, and gained skill in deciphering kuzushiji, the cursive script essential for advanced research in Japanese calligraphy. Field trips to major cultural sites, including the Nara and Kyoto National Museums, and Aichi’s traditional papermaking towns, enriched Wanhan’s understanding of Japan’s material and literary history. Classroom experiences, such as a calligraphy demonstration that introduced Wanhan to a renowned paper-making firm, furthered connections for future research on the historical exchange of paper and comparative studies between China and Japan. Experiencing Kyoto’s historic sites firsthand brought new context to the literature studied in class and illuminated connections between Chinese and Japanese art and architecture. Overall, Wanhan’s summer in Kyoto provided invaluable opportunities for scholarly growth and the development of future research directions.

From Wanhan's travels in Kyoto