Dr. Stephennie Mulder

Biography

Stephennie Mulder is an Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in Islamic art and architecture. Over the past decade, she has engaged in significant archaeological work, particularly as the head ceramicist on Syrian-Princeton excavations at Balis, a medieval Islamic city in Syria. Mulder's research interests encompass Islamic architectural history, archaeology, and material culture studies. She explores theories of ornamentation and the roles of place and landscape in cultural narratives, and she advocates for the teaching of archaeology through art history. As a consultant for the U.S. Department of State and the Customs and Border Patrol’s Antiquities Unit, she focuses on the identification of looted and trafficked archaeological objects. Mulder co-founded the UT Antiquities Action group, aiming to raise awareness about global heritage threats. Her book, "Shrines of the ‘Alids in Medieval Syria: Sunnis, Shi’is, and Architecture of Coexistence," won the Hamilton Book Award and the Syrian Studies Association Award. Her current work includes a two-volume study on medieval ceramics excavated in Syria and a video game project based on the excavation history of the site. Mulder has received support from various prestigious institutions and has appeared in media discussions on cultural heritage issues.

Research Interests