Hi! My name is Lilly Taylor, and I am an incoming PhD student in history at the College of William and Mary. Originally from the Cape Fear River delta in North Carolina, I’m interested in all things marshy and marine. My current research focuses on environmental knowledge production in the early British Atlantic, specifically how pirates created and circulated knowledge about Atlantic environments from the late 16th century through the early 18th century. This project reflects my broader interests in maritime history, environmental history, labor history, and the history of science.
Outside of my independent research, I am active in discussions and programs that relate to interdisciplinarity in research and undergraduate curricula. I’m particularly invested in fostering collaboration between humanities and STEM departments for interdisciplinary environmental studies programs. During my meetings with first-year students as a peer research mentor at the University of Pittsburgh, I became more interested in how dialogue between the humanities and STEM fields could enrich undergraduates’ sense of purpose for research.