Woodward Appointed New Director of the International History Institute
Dean Scott Taylor of the Pardee School of Global Studies has appointed Prof. John D. Woodward, Jr., a professor of the practice of international relations, to be the new Director of the Pardee School’s International History Institute (IHI). Woodward succeeds Prof. Cathal Nolan of BU’s History Department, who led the IHI since 2018. Prior to coming to the Pardee School in 2015, Woodward had a long and distinguished career in intelligence and national security for the U.S. Government. Notably, he served twenty-one years with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to include several overseas assignments, and worked as a Department of Defense official. He also taught courses for many years as an adjunct professor at the George Washington University.
In announcing the IHI appointment, Dean Taylor said, “Professor Nolan did wonderful work convening first-rate conferences and hosting other events that were of the highest academic quality and extremely relevant to our understanding of global studies. Professor Woodward, with his extensive overseas background and experience, will continue to build on this legacy.”
In accepting the position, Woodward commented, “It’s an honor to become the IHI Director, and am thankful for the leadership and dedication of Prof. Cathal Nolan. I am pleased to have my Pardee colleagues, Aimee Genell, Andrei Mamolea, and Rachel Nolan, all assistant professors, join IHI as new Fellows and we are working collaboratively across the university to assemble a robust schedule of activities for the Spring 2024 semester.”
IHI’s Spring 2024 Semester events currently include:
- Feb. 06, 2024 (Tuesday): IHI will host a book talk by Dr. Calder Walton of Harvard University to discuss his award-winning work, Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West. (Details: 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the First Floor Common Room of the Kilachand Residence Hall, 91 Bay State Road.)
- March 18, 2024 (Monday): IHI and BU’s Kilachand Honors College will host a presentation about the history of Broadway. BU alumnus John Bell, a Broadway entertainer currently serving as the musical director of the Broadway production of Spamalot, will visit the BU campus to share experiences from his career in musical theater. This free event is open to members of the BU community (faculty, staff, alumni, and students). (Details: 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the First Floor Common Room of the Kilachand Residence Hall, 91 Bay State Road.)
- March 20, 2024 (Wednesday): IHI & the BU Center for the Study of Asia are sponsoring a book talk by Dr. Grant Rhode, an IHI Senior Fellow, to discuss Great Power Clashes Along the Maritime Silk Road. (Details: 5:00-6:30 p.m. at 121 Bay State Road.)
- April 08, 2024 (Monday): IHI will host decorated CIA veteran, Marc Polymeropoulos, to discuss global intelligence challenges. (The time and specific location on the BU campus will be announced at a later date.)
John D. Woodward, Jr. is a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer. During his twenty-year CIA career, John served as an operations officer in the Clandestine Service and as a technical intelligence officer in the Directorate of Science and Technology, with assignments in Washington D.C., East Asia, Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. His publications include Biometrics: Identity Assurance in the Information Age (McGraw-Hill, 2003) and Army Biometric Applications: Identifying and Addressing Sociocultural Concerns (RAND, 2001). Read more about Professor Woodward on his faculty profile.