5:42 p.m., March 1, 2011----Lawrence Nees, professor in the Department of Art History at the University of Delaware, has been named president of the International Center of Medieval Art (ICMA) for a three-year term that began Feb. 10.

“The ICMA is an almost entirely volunteer organization of roughly 1,400 academics, museum professionals, art market participants and others who love the great medieval artistic tradition and wish to support and promote its study and preservation,” Nees said.

Over the last few decades, Nees has served the ICMA in various positions, including vice president and board director. Along with these leadership positions, he has “taught, studied, lectured and published about medieval art for nearly four decades, the last 33 while a professor at Delaware,” he said, adding, “My work has become well known across many of the sub-fields within medieval art.”

The ICMA publishes a journal, sponsors conferences, organizes annual lecture series both in the U.S. and in Europe, and awards travel and research grants through support from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. As president, Nees will function as the organization's chief administrative officer and will participate in the activities of the American Council of Learned Societies, of which ICMA is a constituent member.

Nees said his involvement with ICMA has already brought benefits to UD. “My teaching is made more current and more exciting because it is fresh, and stems from my own constant discoveries and the new ideas to which I am exposed,” he said. In addition, he said, his current leadership role provides “the added benefit for UD in calling international attention to our campus and our programs.”

Article by Kayla Codina