Dr. Emily O Brien

Biography

Emily O'Brien is an Associate Professor at Simon Fraser University in the Department of History, where she has been since Fall 2005. As a Canadian born scholar with a focus on the Italian Renaissance, her research particularly engages with the humanism of the fifteenth century and the politics of the papacy. After earning her B.A. from the University of Toronto, she completed her graduate studies at Brown University, where she explored various aspects of Renaissance history. O'Brien's work is centered on Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, also known as Pope Pius II, whose writings she is currently translating into a Latin-English edition. Her academic contributions include numerous journal articles and book chapters that delve into Renaissance political thought and its historical impact. Additionally, she has presented her research at prominent conferences, emphasizing her ongoing analyses of Piccolomini's works and their relevance to contemporary understandings of power and cultural history. Emily is also involved in graduate supervision, welcoming new students interested in the late medieval and Renaissance Italy's intellectual and political history.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards

Courses