A native Texan, Miguel Angel Chavez joined Cumberland University as Assistant Professor of History in 2022. He received his Ph.D. in History from Vanderbilt University that same year. Before moving to Middle Tennessee, Miguel received his B.A. and M.A. in History from the University of North Texas in 2011 and 2015, respectively.  Before coming to Cumberland, Miguel served as a Teaching Assistant at Vanderbilt and as an Adjunct Instructor of History at North Central Texas College.

Miguel’s research interests focus on the intersection of the History of Science, the British Empire, and the creation and dissemination of geographic knowledge, with emphasis on the history of nineteenth-century exploration and travel writing in the Nile and Africa. Miguel has presented at numerous conferences, including the North American Conference on British Studies and the History of Science Society meetings in 2021.Miguel’s interests beyond his research focus include the history of the ancient world, the history of nationalism, modern European history, the history of Africa and South Asia, and transnational histories.

As both an instructor and person of color, Miguel is eager to help students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed in college. Outside his academic work, Miguel enjoys listening to music in Nashville, reading science fiction novels, and watching movies with his friends.