Dr. Simon Richter

Professor

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Biography

Simon Richter is the Class of 1965 Endowed Term Professor and the German Chair in the Department of Francophone, Italian, and Germanic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He focuses on the cultural aspects of the climate emergency, particularly resilience, adaptation, and sustainability in Germany, Indonesia, and the Netherlands. His interdisciplinary approach blends traditional scholarship with urban design and environmental activism. Simon has participated in international design projects, including Resilient Semarang, and contributed to the ongoing conversation on climate adaptation through blogs and documentaries. He is also the co-director of the Penn Animation Research Lab, aiming to engage students with climate change through animated artworks. His published research spans various topics, including gender studies, environmental humanities, and 18th-century literature. Simon's teaching has garnered awards for excellence, and he actively mentors students in both undergraduate and graduate programs. He is a past president of the Goethe Society of North America and serves on various editorial boards. His fluency in Dutch and German, along with intermediate Indonesian, reflects his commitment to intercultural exchange and scholarship.

Research Interests

Experience

Endowed Term Professor German Chair

— Present

University of Pennsylvania • Philadelphia, PA

Holds a distinguished faculty position focusing on German studies and cultural history.

Awards

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Ira H. Abrams Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching

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Dennis M. DeTurck Award for Innovation in Teaching

Courses

Water Worlds: Cultural Responses to Sea Level Rise and Catastrophic Flooding Forest Worlds: Mapping the Arboreal Imaginary Writing Dark Erinnerungsorte/Places of Memory The Long Eighteenth Century Comparative Cultures of Sustainability: Germany-Netherlands Comparative Cultures of Resilience

Requirements for University of Pennsylvania

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.6
GRE General
Verbal
Required:162
Quantitative
Required:162
Overall
Required:162
GMAT
Total Score
Required:728
Overall
Required:728
TOEFL
Total
Required:115
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or equivalent Strong quantitative background
Application Checklist
  • Academic Transcripts
  • Letters of Recommendation (2-3)
  • Resume/CV
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Essays
Specialization Notes

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