Schedule

Why You Should Go

Explore Istanbul, one of the world’s most remarkable cities! Istanbul – formerly Constantinople -- was the imperial capital and economic and cultural center of both the Byzantine Empire (4th to the 15th Century) and the Ottoman Empire (15th to the 20th Century). Straddling both Europe and Asia, Istanbul has been the pivotal connection between cultures, languages, religions, and traditions from antiquity to the present.

Meet the Professor:

Matthew T. Herbst is Faculty Director of the Making of the Modern World Program at the University of California San Diego, Eleanor Roosevelt College, where he teaches courses on pre-modern world history and on religious topics. Prof. Herbst received his Ph.D. and M.A. in History from the University of Michigan, specializing in Byzantium, and his B.A. in History, Greek, and Latin from Binghamton University.

Prof. Herbst is passionate about undergraduate education, earning the Outstanding Faculty Award in 2009, and dedicated to internationalizing the undergraduate experience. He designs and leads summer study abroad programs, teaching in Istanbul (2009-2012) and in Paris (2008), and is developing a global service and learning project abroad. Prof. Herbst has served as faculty fellow for the UCSD International House in 2010-2011 and is a representative on the UCSD Academic Senate and member of the Committee on Preparatory Education. His academic interests include Constantinople/Istanbul, study abroad, hermits, and the spirituality of desire.