The honor recognizes Gerstel for a multifaceted initiative to document the cultural heritage of the village of Geraki, empower its craftspeople and support economic development there.
The UCLA Writing Programs lecturer was one of 23 from around the nation to be honored by the Academy of American Poets.
Writing Programs lecturer Tamar Christensen encourages students to put words into action.
A member of the HOOLIGAN Theatre Company, the 2025 graduate will sing the national anthem at one of the three UCLA College ceremonies.
Bella Brannon and Dhanya Charan were among recipients of the Dean’s Prize for Excellence in Research and Creativity.
Since his retirement in 2019, he has ‘brought the history of UCLA to life and introduced many to a fascinating and important story.’
The art history professor was recognized for “Facing Images: Medieval Japanese Art and the Problem of Modernity.”
The acknowledgment, she said, is gratifying because “historians are recognizing the work of a literary historian as historical work.”
Elsa Coony said it would be “a particularly fascinating and dynamic time to be working close to the center of the government.”
“Boundless Winds of Empire” earned the Hong Yung Lee Book Award from the UC Berkeley Center for Korean Studies.