A formal installation will take place May 14.

James V. Wertsch

"I am delighted that Jim will be the first holder of the Marshall Snow professorship in Arts & Sciences," Macias said. "I have enormous respect for his work as a scholar, teacher and academic leader, especially his work to foster our interdisciplinary efforts, and I rely on his wise advice as a member of the Academic Planning Committee. Like Marshall Snow's contributions to the University a hundred years ago, Jim's thoughtful approach in all areas has been tremendously important to Arts & Sciences and Washington University."

Wertsch earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana, in 1969; a master's in education from Northwestern University in 1971; and a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Chicago in 1975.

He spent the following year in Moscow working with neuropsychologist A.R. Luria and other figures before joining the Department of Linguistics at Northwestern University, where he was a member of the faculty for nine years. Wertsch then joined the faculty of the Department of Communication at the University of California, San Diego, until 1987 and spent 1987-88 as the Belle van Zuilen Chair of Arts and Letters at the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands.

From 1988-1995, he was a professor of the Department of Psychology at Clark University. During his time at Clark, he spent the 1992-93 academic year as professor of the Department of Psychology at the Universidad de Sevilla, Spain.

In 1995, Wertsch joined the faculty of Arts & Sciences at Washington University as professor of education and chair of the department. He also holds appointments in the programs in Social Thought & Analysis and Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology, and in the Department of Psychology in Arts & Sciences.

In spring 1998, he was a fellow at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden, and in spring 2000 he held the Meaker Professorship at Bristol University in England.

In addition, he holds honorary degrees from Linköping University in Sweden and Oslo University in Norway, and he is an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Education and a fellow of the American Psychological Association.

Among Wertsch's major research interests are language, thought and culture, particularly the relationship between history and national identity. His most recent work analyzes the transformation that collective memory has underdone during the transition from Soviet to post-Soviet Russia.

He has received several fellowships to study in Russia and co-authored a 1994 article titled "Official and Unofficial Histories: The Case of Estonia" that was published in the Journal of Narrative and Life History. Along with more than 150 additional articles, chapters and reviews, his publications include Vygotsky and the Social Formation of Mind (1985); Voices of the Mind: A Sociocultural Approach to Mediated Action (1991); Mind as Action (1998) and Voices of Collective Remembering (2002).

Since joining the University faculty, Wertsch has played a major role in developing several areas of research and teaching in Arts & Sciences, including the new International & Area Studies Program, of which he serves as co-chair, and the Arts & Sciences Interdisciplinary Initiative, which aims to foster interdisciplinary teaching and research across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.

Wertsch is the initial holder of the professorship named in honor of Marshall S. Snow (1842-1916), whose distinguished career at Washington University spanned more than four decades.

Snow joined Washington University in 1870 as professor of belles lettres and was appointed the first full-time professor of history in 1874, a position he held until his retirement in 1912.

In 1871, Snow was named first dean of Arts & Sciences and served in this position for almost 40 years. During his years as dean, he served twice as acting chancellor, from 1887-1891 and again in 1907.