DR. LAURA A. BELMONTE
Ph.D., University of Virginia
Assistant Professor of History, Oklahoma State University
Post-1945 U.S.; U.S. Foreign Policy since 1917; U.S. Women's; History of Sexuality in the U.S.
E-MAIL: labelmonte@hotmail.com
PHONE: (405) 744-8198
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
EDUCATION
Frightened of the real world, Dr. Belmonte went directly to graduate school
upon finishing a double major in history and political science at the University
of Georgia. She survived the hellish M.A. program in history at the University
of Virginia. Her M.A. thesis examined Anglo-American Relations during the
Korean War. Deciding poverty, sleep deprivation, and a limited chance at upward
mobility were too appealing to bypass, she then proceeded into the Ph.D.
program at the University of Virginia. Written under the influence of
prodigious amounts of Diet Mountain Dew, her dissertation examined images of
American society in U.S. propaganda during the early Cold War.
EXPERIENCE
2001-2002 marks Dr. Belmonte’s sixth year teaching at OSU. Designated the
department’s “techno weenie,” her undergraduate courses feature a snazzy array
of Powerpoint presentations, photos, songs, film clips, and the occasional
appearance of her beagle, Maggie. Her graduate courses feature an abusive
amount of reading.
INTERESTS/AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
Dr. Belmonte’s primary interest is in 20th Century United States history.
Her teaching interests include making the survey course not induce comas,
foreign relations, and the history of gender and sexuality. She is currently
writing a book called A Nation Most Appealing: American National Identity,
Propaganda, and the Cold War, 1945-1959 about the construction and
dissemination of images of America in postwar foreign policy and propaganda.
Hopefully, she will still have her own teeth when it is completed.
AWARDS/ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES
The Nobel Peace Prize, M.V.P. in the NCAA Women s Final Four, The
Chronicle of Higher Education’s Sexiest Professor Alive, Miss Stillwater.
(If you really care about this, see my C.V.)
MEMBERSHIPS
AHA, OAH, SHAFR, ASA, HUAC, Sam’s Club, Psychic Friends Network
PERSONAL
When not writing riveting prose and humorous lectures, Dr. Belmonte enjoys weight lifting, jogging, playing golf really badly, the Internet, wine snobbery, music, and film.
LINKS