![\"Hallways](\"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/DSC_8231.jpg\" "\\"American")
\n\n\t\t\tDoctoral Futures Newsletter\t<\/h5>\n\t
Sign up to receive news and updates on this initiative from ACLS.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t Read the press release announcing the initiative’s launch.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n In\u00a0Perspectives on History<\/em>, AHA executive director Sarah Weicksel discusses the Doctoral Futures initiative. “Not all history PhD students have prior experience, or the support, to imagine those pathways-a challenge the AHA’s Career Diversity initiative sought to address. That multiyear project did much to enhance the ability of history graduate programs to support student pursuit of careers outside the professoriate, but much remains to be done.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead More\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t “I am excited to co-chair the AHA’s committee alongside deputy director Dana Schaffer. As two historians who ourselves have had varied careers, we look forward to working with the committee members to reimagine doctoral education. It is my fervent hope that through this initiative the AHA will help to ensure that all PhD students have the support that is essential to imagining a variety of fulfilling career pathways, and that society continues to benefit from the richness of humanistic knowledge.”Sarah Weicksel<\/strong>Executive Director, American Historical Association<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t “The future of doctoral education in many humanities fields in\u00a0the United States is bleak. We must find practical ways to fight austerity, help PhD students thrive when academic jobs are scarce, and engage them in the urgent mission of attracting the next generation of undergraduates to humanistic study. Through the three-year course of Doctoral Futures, we will work collaboratively with our academic society partners to improve the graduate experience in the humanities for all students, including first generation college graduates and those from traditionally underrepresented groups. This initiative is aligned with our advocacy for changes in the faculty merit system, so that we better reward the necessary work of keeping undergraduate degree programs robust and growing.”\u00a0\u00a0Joy Connolly<\/strong>President, American Council of Learned Societies<\/p>\t\t\n Sarah Weicksel<\/a>, AHA executive director, and Dana Schaffer<\/a>, AHA deputy director, serve as committee chairs for the initiative.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n Led by the AHA, participants will consider how we might realign humanities graduate education with the need for advanced educated professionals with humanistic skills and perspectives, inside and outside academia.<\/p>\nRachel Arteaga<\/strong>, University of Washington The AHA’s Career Diversity for Historians initiative (2011-22) began as an inquiry concerning career outcomes and evolved into a broad-based exploration of the culture, practice, process, and purpose of history PhD programs. Over the course of three grants from the Mellon Foundation, the AHA collaborated with 40 PhD-granting departments-a quarter of the history PhD programs in the United States-to better align doctoral education with changing professional opportunities within and beyond the academy and to better articulate the value of history and historical thinking.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n The nation’s largest gathering of historians is happening in Chicago! Join us and thousands of your colleagues at\u00a0the 139th\u00a0annual meeting<\/a>\u00a0of the AHA\u00a0from January 8-11, 2026. Together, we’ll hone our professional skills, learn about the latest historical scholarship, and engage with historians working across numerous fields and professions.\u00a0Whatever your career stage or path, there’s a place for you at our annual meeting.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\tListening Sessions<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\tDGS Focus Group, Doctoral Futures Project<\/a> About Doctoral Futures Reimagining Humanities PhD Programs The AHA, in partnership with the American Council of Learned Societies, the Modern…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":12428,"parent":2146,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-107888","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","has-featured-image"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/107888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107888"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/107888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109116,"href":"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/107888\/revisions\/109116"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2146"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Doctoral](\"https:\/\/www.historians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/American_Council_of_Learned_Societies_Doctoral_Futures.jpg\" "\\"American")
\n\n\t\t\tLaunch Annoucement\t<\/h5>\n\t
\n\t\t\tDoctoral Futures in Perspectives<\/i>\t<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\tCollaborating for the Next Generation\t<\/h4>\n\t
\n\t\t\tProject Leadership & AHA Committee\t<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\tAHA Leadership\t<\/h4>\n\t
\n\t\t\tPost-Degree Pathways\t<\/h4>\n\t
\nDanielle Fossler-Lussier<\/strong>, Ohio State University; Imagined Futures Graduate Professional Development Initiative lead
\nStephanie Kirk<\/strong>, Washington University in St. Louis
\nAnnie Maxfield<\/strong>, University of Texas at Austin
\nQuincy Mills<\/strong>, University of Maryland
\nMaggie Nettesheim-Hoffman<\/strong>, Marquette University & Humanities Without Walls
\nAdam Seipp<\/strong>, Texas A&M
\nJames Van Wyck<\/strong>, Princeton University
\nMatthew Villeneuve<\/strong>, University of Wisconsin-Madison
\nDaryle Williams<\/strong>, University of California, Riverside\n\n\t\t\tCareer Diversity for Historians\t<\/h4>\n\t
\n\t\t\tDoctoral Futures at AHA26\t<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\tJoin us in Chicago for AHA26!\t<\/h4>\n\t
\nFriday, January 9, 2026: 1:45 PM-2:45 PM<\/strong><\/em>
\nPDR 1 (Hilton Chicago, Third Floor)\nHGSA Focus Group, Doctoral Futures Project<\/a>
\nSaturday, January 10, 2026: 1:45 PM-2:45 PM<\/em><\/strong>
\nPullman Boardroom (Hilton Chicago, Fourth Floor)\n\t\t\t\t\tSessions of Interest<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\tShaping the Future of History Education: An Open Discussion of Teacher Preparation\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nThursday, January 8, 1:30-3:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Marquette Room (Third Floor)
\n<\/strong>Organized by the AHA Teaching Division<\/em>\nThe Stories Museums Tell<\/strong><\/a>
\nThursday, January 8, 1:30-3:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Williford A (Third Floor)<\/strong>\nRewriting the Past? AI, Interpretation, and the Future of History Education<\/strong><\/a>
\nThursday, January 8, 3:30-5:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Marquette Room (Third Floor)<\/strong>\nGraduate and Early Career Committee Guided Conversation<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 8:30-10:00 a.m.; Hilton Chicago, Boulevard A (Second Floor)
\n<\/strong>Organized by the AHA Graduate and Early Career Committee<\/em>\nThe History and Future of HBCUs\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 8:30-10:00 a.m.; Hilton Chicago, Continental B (Lobby Level)<\/strong>\nSurvey Says: Data on Historians Teaching Off the Tenure Track<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 8:30-10:00 a.m.; Hilton Chicago, Williford B (Third Floor)
\n<\/strong>Organized by the AHA Professional Division<\/em>\nAI-Mediated Historiography: Models, Misinformation, and Methodology<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 8:30-10:00 a.m.; Hilton Chicago, Continental A (Lobby Level)
\n<\/strong>\nThe Historian as Librarian: Conversations About Professional Librarianship with Historians of Latin America and the United States\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 8:30-10:00 a.m.; Palmer House Hilton, Hancock Parlor (Sixth Floor)\u00a0<\/strong>\nScholarship and the Tenure Track: Conventional Wisdom, Unconventional Strategies<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Williford A (Third Floor)
\n<\/strong>Organized by the AHA Professional Division
\n<\/em>\nHistorical Games in Research and Teaching, Part 1: Play as Pedagogy for Medieval History <\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Continental A (Lobby Level)
\n<\/strong>\nSinclair Workshop on Historical Podcasting: A Keynote Conversation with NPR’s <\/strong><\/a>Throughline<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Continental C (Lobby Level)
\n<\/strong>\nPublishing in the AHR: Early Career Experiences<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Williford C (Third Floor)
\n<\/strong>Organized by the AHA Research Division and the American Historical Review\u00a0<\/em>\nA Doctorate with a Difference: 25 Years of Digital Humanities and the PhD in History<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 1:30-3:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Boulevard B (Second Floor)
\n<\/strong>\nAsk a Digital Historian Anything<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 3:30-5:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Marquette Room (Third Floor)
\n<\/strong>Organized by the AHA Digital History Working Group\u00a0<\/em>\nAI in History Education\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 3:30-5:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Continental B (Lobby Level)<\/strong>\nThe Collaboration Between Historians and Documentary Filmmakers<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 3:30-5:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Salon C 1&2 (Lower Level)<\/strong>\nSinclair Workshop on Historical Podcasting: Engaging Storytelling\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nSaturday, January 10, 8:30-10:00 a.m.; Hilton Chicago, Continental A (Lobby Level)\u00a0<\/strong>\nHow to Publish in an Academic Journal<\/strong><\/a>
\nSaturday, January 10, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; Palmer House Hilton, Adams Room (Sixth Floor)\u00a0<\/strong>\nDoes History Matter in Policy Analysis? The Use of History and Historians in Public Policy Schools and Departments<\/strong><\/a>
\nSaturday, January 10, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; Palmer House Hilton, Chicago Room (Fifth Floor)<\/strong>\nThe Historian as Advocate: A Strategic Seminar on Influencing Policy\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nSaturday, January 10, 1:30-3:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Williford C (Third Floor)<\/strong>
\nOrganized by the AHA Professional Division\u00a0<\/em>\nThe Goals, Ideas, and Uses of the Historical Profession Today\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nSaturday, January 10, 1:30-3:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Williford B (Third Floor)\u00a0<\/strong>
\nOrganized by the AHA Teaching Division\u00a0<\/em>\nValuing History Minors, Certificates, and Microcredentials: The Future of History Education Beyond<\/strong><\/a> “Majorism”<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nSaturday, January 10, 3:30-5:00 p.m.; Palmer House Hilton, Crystal Room (Third Floor)\u00a0<\/strong>\nPublishing off the Tenure Track<\/strong><\/a>
\nSaturday, January 10, 3:30-5:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Williford C (Third Floor)<\/strong>
\nOrganized by the AHA Graduate and Early Career Committee\u00a0<\/em>\nMaking History Indispensable at Your Institution: Historians and General Education\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nSaturday, January 10, 8:00-9:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Continental ABC (Lobby Level)<\/strong>\nCareers for History Majors<\/strong><\/a>
\nSunday, January 11, 9:00-10:30 a.m; Hilton Chicago, Williford A (Third Floor)\u00a0<\/strong>
\nOrganized by the AHA Teaching Division\u00a0<\/em>\n\t\t\t\t\tEvents of Interest<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\tReception for Graduate Students\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nThursday, January 8, 5:00-6:00 p.m.; Palmer House Hilton, Adams Room (Sixth Floor)\u00a0<\/strong>
\nThe AHA Graduate and Early Career Committee cordially invites graduate students to a reception and informal conversation with colleagues.\nWorking Luncheon for Directors of Graduate Studies<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9 12:00-1:30 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, PDR 4 (Third Floor)<\/strong>
\nThis working lunch will be an opportunity for directors of graduate studies to share experiences, discuss common issues, and receive encouragement from their colleagues.
\nTickets are $45 for AHA members and $60 for nonmembers and can be purchased in advance through the registration form or at the meeting at the onsite registration counters.\nCareer Contacts at the Annual Meeting\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nFriday, January 9, 3:30-5:00 p.m.; Hilton Chicago, Waldorf Room (Third Floor)\u00a0<\/strong>
\nOrganized by the AHA Professional Division\u00a0<\/em>
\nThis session provides attendees with the opportunity to speak with a group of professionals who represent a wide variety of career pathways. Professionals who work in careers such as publishing, museums, nonprofits, education, and other areas will discuss their career trajectories and professional development in a structured but informal setting. Attendees will have the opportunity to rotate between tables where the career professionals are stationed to better learn about how to navigate various career paths.\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"