Medieval history professor welcomed as new chair

The University of Rhode Island's History department welcomed professor Joelle Rollo-Koster, avid traveller and inquisitive researcher, as its new department chair this year.

"I like to do research and to teach," she said. "This is not something professors are trained for."  

But Rollo-Koster is experienced when it comes to adapting to a new environment. She has traveled to many countries in Europe and some places that don't have running water or electricity, she said.

"You realize what you're worth," Rollo-Koster said about traveling. She said being put in a brand new situation is "great for the brain" and forces you to "adapt quickly."

Rollo-Koster has been to Peru and Mount Everest with a spot satellite, a small device that emails a GPS location to someone in her family, as her only means of communication. She said she prefers to be free from electronics and would rather read a book in the sun than watch television.

This summer, Rollo-Koster obtained a special permit that is required in order to go to Tibet. However, the Chinese government closed down Tibet's borders from any foreigners earlier than expected, so her trip was cancelled. As a result, Rollo-Koster was given the opportunity to visit the Kingdom of Mustang, where she said very few foreigners are allowed. There, she saw medieval caves from the 14th and 15th centuries.

"I've always loved adventures," she said.

Her first adventure was when she came to the United States from France to be with her husband. After receiving her bachelors and masters degrees in history from a university in Nice, France, she came to New York and pursued her doctorates degree in medieval research from the University of Binghamton.

After having her two daughters, Rollo-Koster said she started applying for jobs and then made her way to URI to become a history professor, and has been here for the past 15 years.

Growing up in a poor town in the French Riviera, Rollo-Koster explained that she knew since she was five years old that she wanted to be a historian. She said people told her that she wouldn't be able to do it and that it wasn't easy to make it this far, but she never let go of her dream.

"I love teaching," she said. "I love the Middle Ages and I like to pass on my enthusiasm. Of course I lose patience sometimes and I do get irritated. But I still love to teach."

She is also a published author of four books, which all deal with medieval anthropology. In her books, she studies the issues of medieval culture.

Even though she is already a world traveler, Rollo-Koster said she still wants to visit Tibet, Chile and Antarctica. But, in her thick French accent and with her quirky sense of humor, Rollo-Koster admitted that she might face some issues.

"Well, I need to make it to Antarctica before all the ice melts, I guess," she said.