SECRETARY SARAH JARMER SCOTT’S VISION STATEMENT
Sarah Jarmer Scott was elected as ASOR’s next Secretary by the Board of Trustees during the Annual Meeting in November 2024. Sarah will serve a three-year term as Secretary until December 31, 2027. Below is her vision statement for ASOR:
ASOR has been a foundationally important organization for me, and I know it has been for others. It would be an honor to give back by serving on the Board, and in doing so I would hope to support and grow its programming and membership. Not only has it provided academic, intellectual, and networking opportunities for my work, it has also provided a community for pedagogical support. My area of scholarship is fundamentally interdisciplinary, while also being inter-regional. As a specialist in Mesopotamian glyptic and visual culture, I engage in dialogue with art historians, archaeologists, philologists, anthropologists, and museum professionals. My own experience in presenting papers and chairing sessions has opened paths for research and publications, as it has for others. The networking and social component – particularly through the annual meetings – has also been important in my own growth and confidence as a scholar. The diversity of attendees and members, as well as the commitment to social justice in the many disciplines represented by ASOR, is an essential component of the organization, and one that is key to its success.
As one of many members who teach at a small college where I am the only person in my area of specialty, ASOR is an important community, as it provides a venue to talk to like-minded researchers and teachers, collaborate, and bring back ideas. While my main role at Wagner is as professor of Art History (where I teach Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, and Islamic Art, Museum Studies, as well as writing seminars), I have also served as Dean and directed a number of grants. Having seen some of the challenges facing higher ed, and sought to empower colleagues and students to find success in their work, I know that organizations like ASOR are essential in bringing deep knowledge and resources to such endeavors; I see opportunity in deeper collaborations between and amongst ASOR, its membership, and higher education institutions and museums.
My experience with ASOR (conference attendee, presenter, session chair, and utilizer of multiple ASOR resources and publications) has given me insight and knowledge of the organization and will serve to make me an excellent Secretary. I’d also like to call attention to my 20 years of experience on the board of the local Staten Island AIA chapter. I am proud of the work I did with them and the amazing programming I developed for that community (lectures, trips, archaeology fairs).
In the years ahead I know ASOR will face many challenges. Surely the organization will rise to those challenges. Continued and emphatic devotion to development of scholarship, diversity, social justice, community-based collaboration, and creative partnership development will enable ASOR to succeed and thrive. I look forward to serving the Board of ASOR.
ASOR would also like to welcome three new trustees to the Class of 2027:
Andrea Berlin (Institutionally-Elected Trustee)
Helen Dixon (Membership-Elected Trustee)
Emily Hammer (Membership-Elected Trustee)