I'm Moving to Rice

I've accepted an endowed chair at Rice University. I'll be building a theory and philosophy school with Cary Wolfe--someone whom I hugely admire for several different reasons. It's exciting to think I'll be working alongside him.

Also, without doubt, we are going to create the mother of all eco graduate programs! So you should think of joining us if you are considering graduate school.

I'll also be building the Romanticism and nineteenth century studies program with my friends Helena Michie and Alexander Regier, and a host of incredible scholars who work in that field at Rice.

There is a very happening religion department in which I've been invited to teach, in particular with Anne Klein (Buddhism) and Jeffrey Kripal, who runs an institute called GEM (Gnosticism, Esotericism, Mysticism). He just published an excellent book on comics and the paranormal. They have a Contemplative Studies program, like Brown, which is right up my alley.

The Dean of Humanities at Rice is an amazingly creative and intelligent person and we're already getting on like a house on fire.

Rice in general has an optimal vibe: it's very well endowed and also very fresh and innovative.

I'm going there next week to buy a house. Houston is the fourth largest city in the USA and I'm hoping I can live a few blocks away from the Rothko Chapel and the Menil Collection. It's been a while since I was in a city--last time was when I was visiting assistant prof at NYU.