Hilary Coulson

Lecturer in Women’s Studies

Areas of Interest/Research

History of Medicine | Women in Prison | Women in Leadership | Podcasting

Background

Hilary Coulson is an interdisciplinary historian who studies institutions in the United States and women’s experiences in them. Coulson examines the history of medicine, asylums, hospitals, schools, and prisons to explore the impact of these spaces on society and women over time. Coulson developed the History of American Medicine class and teaches it every semester to students who want to enter the field with a better understanding of the struggles women have faced as patients as well as healers. Her early dissertation work focused exclusively on women in prisons and can be found in an edited volume, Incarcerated Women: A History of Struggles, Oppression, and Resistance in American Prisons. Her more recent work on media representations of women convicted of murder in the 19th century can be found in Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies.

Hilary Coulson has worked in 5 different top-tier research universities in the United States. She has over ten years experience working in history departments, women’s studies centers, and schools of education. With a broad interdisciplinary approach, Coulson has worked as an advisor, teacher, writing instructor, and methodologist. Coulson’s latest project explores 21st century women in university leadership. In 2022, she co-authored a book, Transformational University Leadership: A Case Study for 21st Century Leaders and Aspirational Research Universities. This work incorporates all of Coulson’s strengths as an archival research historian, qualitative interviewer, and writer. She has presented her work and organized panels at the American Historical Association’s annual conference and the Western Association of Women Historians. Coulson currently works as the undergraduate coordinator in training for the women’s studies department, advises students on research projects, supervises teaching assistants, and teaches hundreds of undergraduates every semester. She values the importance of interdisciplinary work and strives to include a broad humanities approach to research as well as teaching. When she is not in the classroom, Coulson serves as the co-host for a weekly history podcast, An Incomplete History. 

Contact Information

Email: hilarycoulson@ufl.edu
Phone: (352) 273-0390
Office: 302 Ustler Hall
Office Hours: (Spring 2024) MWF: 10:30am-11:30am 3:00pm-4:00pm & by appointment

Mailing address:

Hilary Coulson, Ph.D
University of Florida
Center for Gender, Sexualities, and Women’s Studies Research
302 Ustler Hall
P.O. Box 117352
Gainesville, FL 32611-7352
Phone: 352-273-0390