Dr. Alessandra Brivio, assistant professor of History, is Erskine College’s 2024 recipient of the SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award. She earned graduate degrees from the University of California, San Diego – a Ph.D. in Early Modern History and a master’s degree in History. Brivio was awarded a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the Università Statale di Milano.
Brivio joined the Erskine faculty in 2018, and she currently chairs the History and Political Science department. She also serves as the faculty representative to the Erskine College Board of Trustees. Her courseload includes World Civilizations, Ancient Greek and Roman history, Medieval History, Renaissance and Reformation, the Italian Renaissance, and the History of Medicine and Disease. In 2021, Brivio’s fellow faculty members celebrated her achievements and leadership in the classroom with the Younts Excellence in Teaching Award.
Brivio’s research focuses on biopolitics and popular responses during early modern plague epidemics. She is currently working on a manuscript titled “Between the Devil and the Holy Water: Plague Spreaders, Demonic Conspiracies, and Public Health in 17th century Milan.” She regularly presents her research at national conferences and is a member of the Renaissance Society of America.
A native of Italy and an avid cook, Brivio regularly invites students to her family’s home in Due West for a great meal and sharing Italian culture and traditions.
Furman University – 2024 SCICU Excellence In Teaching – Dr. Christopher Hutton