Left to right: The 2005-2006 cohort in front of the White House. Robert in front of the White House.
What are you doing now?
I work as an Associate Professor of History at Indiana University Southeast. My research explores how technology, culture, identity, and memory shape the history of modern Germany, with a particular interest in the First World War. My first book, Germany's First World War Aviators: The Lives of Fliers, was published by Routledge in January 2026. My work has also appeared in edited volumes including War Time: First World War Perspectives on Temporality and New Perspectives on the First World War: Beyond No Man's Land. I also serve as a faculty mentor for the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress.
How has this Fellowship impacted your career?
My Fellowship with the Center was pivotal in shaping the conclusion of my undergraduate studies and served as a launching pad for graduate school. The opportunity to work as a Named Fellow introduced me to mentors and contacts who helped me better prepare for the next steps in my education. Working alongside such high-caliber Fellows and meeting with professors, journalists, diplomats, and various staff members within the Executive and Legislative branches only served to raise the quality of my own research and writing. Simply put, I was a better student, scholar, and citizen because of my time in the Fellowship.
What is your favorite memory of the Fellowship?
For me, it was visiting the White House grounds. President Bush was at the residence at the time, so we detoured to the EEOB. But the chance to walk through the gates and see these iconic buildings up close was a particular honor. This was 2006, so I was immersed in watching shows like The West Wing at the time, and to see these places in person meant so much to me. To meet with White House staffers, advisers, and other members of the Administration was also a privilege, and I was impressed by the time they took to speak with us and how thoughtfully they answered the questions we raised. It was a moment of realization that I could do so much more than I had imagined before visiting Washington.
What is your dream Job?
Great question! I love my work but I am also passionate in helping organizations make lasting impacts within broader communities. Non-profit work speaks very much to those interests and it reminds me of how much I miss being a part of policy discussions where you can really shape the trajectory of people’s lives for the better in a genuinely meaningful way. I also have a deep love of museums, so my other dream post would be in a curatorial position at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, the National WWI Museum and Memorial or working at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.