Post by Becky O'Malley Gipson

As a communications professional, I love telling stories that reveal the fascinating people behind the work happening at Tulane. My latest article profiles Dr. William Brumfield, a Tulane professor whose lifelong passion for Russian literature and architecture has made him one of the world's leading scholars in the field. Earlier this month, he was invited to the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 227th birthday of Alexander Pushkin through a presentation of his photography and readings from the poet's work. While researching and writing this piece, I was struck by how one person's curiosity can grow into a lifetime of scholarship. From photographing Pushkin's family estate and final resting place to preserving images of historic architecture that has since disappeared, Dr. Brumfield's work demonstrates the power of documenting cultural heritage for future generations. I'm proud to share this story and hope you'll take a few minutes to read it. What began as a young student's love of Russian literature became more than five decades of preserving history through photography, research, and storytelling. It's a remarkable journey.