NW Missouri Times

Dr. Karen Britt expressed her gratitude and excitement after being awarded the Frank A. Dutra Annual Award for the best 2023 article published in Mediterranean Studies. The award-winning publication was a collaborative effort with Dr. Ra’anan Boustan, focusing on the research and publication of artifacts in the Mediterranean. Britt shared, “We were thrilled, surprised and humbled. It is really an honor that the committee chose our work because they saw something in our work that is generative – that would generate new ways of thinking.”

The prestigious award includes a cash prize of $350 and will be presented to Britt at the 26th Annual Congress of the Mediterranean Studies Association in Valencia, Spain on May 28. The committee commended Britt and Boustan for their innovative approach to studying mosaics, particularly their discovery in a late fourth-century synagogue in lower eastern Galilee, Israel.

In addition to the award-winning publication, Britt's research on ancient mosaics has been featured in the April edition of National Geographic Magazine in an article titled “Surprising Scenes in Stone.” Reflecting on her research, Britt explained, “Research is like building a house – you start by laying a foundation and then you build on it. Everything that you do, every article that you publish, is adding a course of stones to the house that you are building.”

Aside from her academic achievements, Dr. Karen Britt is an assistant professor of art history at Northwest Missouri State University. She emphasizes the connection between her research and teaching, stating, “All of the research that I do is linked with my teaching. I bring into the classroom, even if it’s a subject that’s unrelated to the particular content of the course, both the spirit of inquiry and investigation that archaeology requires to the classes that I teach.”

Britt's dedication to her field and her impactful research on ancient mosaics continue to contribute significantly to the academic community.