Heather Chiero

Associate Professor

Heather Chiero

Associate Professor

Academic Appointment(s)

Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Department of History, Anthropology and Philosophy

Bio

Dr. Chiero is a native of New England, graduated with honors with a B.A. in Linguistics/History & M.A. in Latin American Studies from Tulane, and Ph.D. in History from TCU after a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Award from the U.S. Dept. of Education. She taught previously as a tenure-track assistant professor while ABD at Blackburn College before joining Augusta State University in 2007. She is also past Secretary and Chair of the Conference on Latin American History (CLAH) Central American Studies Committee, current member and Conference Chair of the Americas Council, and current Regional Conference President for Phi Alpha Theta 2018.

Education

  • Ph.D., History, General Texas Christian University, 2005

  • MA, History, General Tulane University, 2000

  • BA, Linguistics Tulane University, 1997

Awards & Honors

  • Summer Institute Grant National Endowment for the Humanities, 2017

  • Certificate of Completion HERS (Higher Education Resource Services), 2016

  • Certificate of Completion--Leadership Columbia County Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, 2016

  • Certificate of Completion--Pipeline II "Leading Others" Augusta University Leadership Academy, 2016

  • Certificate of Completion--Pipeline I "Leading Self" GRU Leadership Academy, 2015

Courses Taught Most Recent Academic Year

  • GEOG 1111

    World Geography
  • HIST 3001

    Historical Research Methods
  • HONR 3900H

    Honors: Breaking Boundaries
  • HIST 4950

    Selected Topics: Coffee and Bananas
  • HIST 2112

    United States since 1877

Teaching Interests

Latin America, Central America, Underrepresented Populations (African heritage, indigenous heritage, multi-racial, etc.), Gender and Crime, Migration/Immigration, Latino/Hispanic U.S., Social History, Religion in Latin America, Mesomamerican Civilizations, American West

Scholarship

Selected Recent Publications

  • The Exoticism of Maya Women: Foreign Obsession and Repulsion, 1820-1900, 2010
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • Review of Colonial Latin America for future revised version, Feb. 2011, 2009
    Book Review
  • Review of textbook America: A Narrative History, combined 7th edition, 2008
    Other

Research Interests

19th Century Travel Accounts, Work/Gender/Family, Crime and Punishment, Identity and Power, Economic History (agriculture and textile production), Colonial era Latin America, Underrepresented populations in the Spanish-speaking periphery, Maya 2012 prophecy and U.S. pop culture

Department Service

  • Philosophy Faculty Search Committee 2021 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Augusta University Preview Day 2021

    Role: Faculty Mentor
  • National History Day 2021 - 2021

    Role: Faculty Mentor
  • Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society 2012 - 2020

    Role: Faculty Advisor
  • Promotion & Tenure 2019 - 2019

    Role: Committee Member

College Service

  • Pamplin Faculty Research & Development Committee (PPIF) 2019 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Pamplin Student Research & Travel (PRST) 2019 - Present

    Role: Committee Chair
  • Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC) 2014 - Present

    Role: Committee Chair
  • Pamplin Preview Day 2023 - 2023

    Role: Other
  • Faculty Research & Faculty Development Committee (FRFD/PPIF) 2020 - 2022

    Role: Committee Member

University Service

  • Caribbean Student Association 2023 - Present

    Role: Faculty Mentor
  • Search Committee Reese Library Special Collections 2019 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • College Undergraduate Evaluation/Progress Reports 2018 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Academic Success Center Advisory Committee 2016 - Present

    Role: Faculty Advisor
  • Americas Council 2009 - Present

    Role: Special Institutional Assignment

Professional Service

  • Phi Alpha Theta 2018 - Present

    Role: Officer, Other Officer
  • Phi Alpha Theta 2020 - 2020

    Role: Conference-Related
  • Americas Council 2018 - 2019

    Role: Conference-Related
  • CLAH--Central American Studies Committee 2015 - 2016

    Role: Committee Chair
  • CLAH Central American Studies Committee 2014 - 2015

    Role: Officer, Secretary

Public Service

  • ISA Scholarship Committee 2018 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Leadership Columbia County, Chamber of Commerce 2020

    Role: Guest Speaker
  • Augusta Preparatory Day School 2014 - 2019

    Role: Guest Speaker
  • Leadership Columbia County, Chamber of Commerce 2019 - 2019

    Role: Guest Speaker
  • Middle School Principal Search, Augusta Preparatory Day School 2018 - 2018

    Role: Committee Member