Ruth Mostern has recently been appointed as the new vice president of the World History Association (WHA). In addition to this role, she is also serving as the president-elect and is slated to take over as president in 2026 for a term of two years. Mostern is currently the director of Pitt’s World History Center and a professor in the Department of History, specializing in spatial and environmental history with a focus on imperial China and the world.
Expressing her gratitude for the honor, Mostern shared, “I am honored to have been elected as vice president and president-elect of the World History Association, which is the leading professional organization in my field. This recognition is not only about me. It’s also a sign of esteem for leadership from many Pitt historians and from the Pitt World History Center in studying history through global and transregional frameworks.”
The WHA serves as a professional association for scholars, teachers, and students who are dedicated to promoting world history through various means like teaching, research, publications, and personal interactions. Every year, the WHA organizes an annual meeting where more than 300 academic historians, college instructors, and secondary school teachers come together to exchange new research and teaching methodologies within the field of world history. In the summer of 2023, the World History Center hosted the WHA’s annual conference at the University of Pittsburgh.
The appointment of Ruth Mostern to the position of vice president and president-elect is a significant recognition of her expertise and contributions to the field of world history, as well as an acknowledgment of the leadership and research efforts of the scholars at the Pitt World History Center.