David Engels
David Engels
Born 27th August 1979 in Verviers, Belgium
Education
1997 – 2002: University Studies in History, Economics and Philosophy at the RWTH Aachen University
28.3.2002: Graduation as Magister Artium (Master of Arts). Subject of Master Thesis: “Der Epitaphios des platonischen Menexenos und seine Autorschaft“
2002 – 2005: PhD in Ancient History at the RWTH Aachen
2.12.2005: Delivery of a PhD Thesis on: “Das römische Vorzeichenwesen (753-27 v.Chr.). Quellen, Terminologie, Sammlung, Kommentar, historische Entwicklung“ (Supervisor: Raban von Haehling). Marking: summa cum laude (highest marking)
15.3.2006: Defence of the PhD (examiners: R. v. Haehling, K. L. Noethlichs, W. Orth). Marking: summa cum laude
24.4.2007: Obtention of the title of a “Doctor of Philosophy” after the publication of the dissertation
2007: Start of a habilitation thesis, published, after the obtention of a full chair in Roman History at the ULB in 2008, as a single monograph (“Studies on the Seleukid Empire”)
Work Experience
1.10.1998 – 14.10.2001: Student Research Assistant at the Chair in Ancient History of the RWTH
15.10.2001 – 30.6.2003: Secretary at the Chair in Ancient History of the RWTH
1.11.2003 – 31.3.2005: Award of a Graduate Scholarship by the “Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes” (German National Academic Foundation)
1.4.2005 – 28.2.2006: Assistant Professor (3/4 time) at the Chair in Ancient History of the RWTH
1.3.2006 – 28.2.2007: Assistant Professor (1/2 time) at the Chair in Ancient History of the RWTH
1.3.2007 – 30.9.2008: Assistant Professor (full-time) at the Chair in Ancient History of the RWTH
Summer 2008: Offer of a Chair in Roman History at the University of Ghent (UGent)
Summer 2008: Offer of a Chair in Roman History at the University of Brussels (ULB)
1.10.2008 – 30.9.2011: Professor and Chair in Roman History of the ULB (in the Rank of “chargé de cours temporaire”)
1.10 – 30.9.2013: Promotion to the Rank of “chargé de cours définitif“
Since 1.10.2013: Promotion to the Rank of “professeur”
Winter Sem. 2014-2015: Visiting Professor at the University of Witten
1.10.2016 – 31.5.2017: 8 months of paternal leave
Since 1.10.2018: Senior Analyst at the Instytut Zachodni in Poznań and on leave from the ULB
1.10.2019-30.9.2023: Full Professor at the Universitary Academy of Gorzów (Akademia im. Jakuba z Paradyża w Gorzowie Wielkopolskim)
1.10.2021-30.9.2022: Lecturer at the “Collegium Intermarium” (Warsaw)
Since 1.10.2022: Lecturer at the ICES (Institut Catholique d’Enseignement Supérieur en Vendée)
Editorial Activities
27.5.2009-31.12.2011: Editor of the Section “Roman History” of the Journal “Latomus”
Since 9.2009: Co-Founder and Redactor of the Belgian Information Network in Ancient History (www.philia.be)
5.2.2011 – 5.2.2012: Vice-President of the “Société d’études latines de Bruxelles (Latomus)“
1.1.2012 – 28.1.2017: Editor-in-Chief of the Journal “Latomus”
5.2.2012 – 28.1.2017: President of the “Société d'études latines de Bruxelles (Latomus)” and Director of the Monograph Series “Latomus”
2016 – 2018: Columnist for the Journal “Le Vif-L’express”
Since 2019: Columnist for the Journal “Cato”
Since 2020: Columnist for the Journals "Tagespost" and "Tygodnik Solidarność"
Since 2022: Columnist for the Journals “European Conservative” and “Sandwirt”
Since 2023: Columnist for the Journals “Corrigenda” and “Deliberatio”
Research Projects
2003 (– 2007): Co-writing (under the supervision of R. von Haehling, RWTH) of the research-proposal „Mythenkritik und Mythendeutung frühchristlicher Autoren“, funded by the Gerda Henkel-Stiftung (two half-time PhD-positions for 2003-2007) (after benefitting from a research-scholarship by the “Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes”, the position was transferred to another collaborator).
2006 – 2008: Direction of the Research Project “Die antike Bienensymbolik und ihre Rezeption“ (with C. Nicolaye, RWTH Aachen / KUL) (publ. 2008) (subs. RWTH)
2009 – 2012: Founder and Co-President of the Research Centre “OIKOUMENE. Centre d'Études Méditerranéennes“ at the ULB (with A. Busine, ULB) (subs. ULB)
2011 – 2013: Co-director of the Research Project “La destruction dans l’histoire” (ULB) (publ. 2013) (subs. ULB)
Since 2011: Member of the Board of Administration of the “Zentrum für Regionalgeschichte in der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft Belgiens“. Direction of the first volume of the “Geschichte der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft Belgiens“ (with C. Lejeune; publ. 2015) (subs. „Ministerium der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft“)
2012-2017: Director of the Journal and Monograph Series „Latomus“ (subs. FNRS/FU )
Organisation of Conferences and Workshops
13. – 15.2.2009: Organisation of the Conference “Zwischen Ideal und Wirklichkeit - Herrschaft auf Sizilien von der Antike bis zur Frühen Neuzeit“ at the RWTH, with L. Geis (RWTH) and M. Kleu (Universität Köln) (publ. 2010) (subs. RWTH/ULB: 9.025€)
23.4.2010: Organisation of the “Journée d'Études“ 2010 of “Oikoumene. Centre d'Études Méditerranéennes“ at the ULB, with A. Busine and A. Bourguignon (ULB)
9.10.2010: Organisation of the first “Belgian Workshop in Ancient History“ on “Competition and Religion in Antiquity“ at the Royal Library of Belgium, with P. Van Nuffelen (UGent) (publ. 2014)
2010 – 2013: Organisation of the Lecture Series “Biologisme et cyclicité dans la philosophie de l'histoire“ at the ULB (publ. 2015)
2011 – 2012: Organisation of the Seminar “Censure, interdits et interdiction“ at the ULB, with A. Busine and A. Bourguignon (ULB)
6. – 8.11.2014: Organisation of the Conference “Augustus through the Ages“ at the Royal Library of Belgium, with P. Assenmaker, M. Cavagna, M. Cavalieri and C. Maeder (UCL) (publ. ca. 2019) (subs. KBR/FNRS/SÉL 7.880€)
21. – 23.8.2015: Organisation of the “First Latomus Workshop in Ancient History“ and of the “Fifth Seleukid Study Day“ at the ULB, with A. Coşkun University of Waterloo) (publ. 2019) (subs. SSHRC 24.977 CAN $; SÉL: 4.100€)
17. – 20.10.2018: Organisation of the Conference “Oswald Spengler in an Age of Globalisation” (Brussels/Blankenheimerdorf) (subs. Oswald Spengler-Society) (publ. ca. 2020)
16. – 17.1.2019: Organisation of the second German-Polish Discussion Round” at the Instytut Zachodni in Poznań (publ. ca. 2019) on behalve of the Instytut Zachodni and the “Deutsche Nationalstiftung”
12.2.2019: Organisation of the Conference “National Identity in Europe” at the Polish Institute, Berlin, on behalve of the Instytut Zachodni
6.3.2019: Organisation of the Conference “Renovatio Europae. Considerations on a Reform of the European Union”, Warsaw, on behalve of the Instytut Zachoni (publ. 2019)
13.-15.10.2020: Organisation of the Conference “Translatio and Renovatio Imperii. Constructing Legitimacy through Imperial Succession or Renewal”, Poznań, on behalve of the Instytut Zachodni and the Oswald Spengler Society, in cooperation with the University of Waterloo, Ont.
13.-14.11.2020: Organisation of the Conference “From Herodotus to Spengler: Comparing Civilisations throughout Time and Space”, Palo Alto / Stanford, CA, on behalve of the Oswald Spengler Society.
15.3.2022: Vernissage of the Exhibition: European Unification in the Mirror of German Caricatures, Instytut Zachodni, Poznań
18.-20.7.2022: Organisation of the Conference “Translatio et Renovatio Imperii. Constructing Legitimacy through Imperial Succession or Renewal”, Poznań, on behalve of the Instytut Zachodni, in cooperation with the University of Waterloo, Ont.
16.11.2023: Mini-Conference: Understanding History through Time and Space. Instytut Zachodni, Poznań
20.-22.10.2022: "Myth, fate, and duty. Oswald Spengler and Jordan Peterson as moral philosophers", Spengler Society, German Eifel.
International Experience
2002 – 2004: Guest Student at the “Université de Liège“ (Chair in Arabic Culture)
2003 – 2004: Guest Student at the “Universität zu Köln“
Summer 2004: Participation in the Summer Academy of the “Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes“ at Alpbach (Austria)
2. – 3.2005: Erasmus-Semester at the University of Nottingham
11. – 21.10.2007: Participation in the 2007 Archaeological Excursion of the DAI-Damaskus to Syria (visit of the Hauran)
Winter 2014-2015: Visiting Professor at the University of Witten
27.10. – 6.11.2016: Guest Lecturer at the University of Changchun (China)
2016-2017: Guest Student at the “Volkshochschule Aachen” (Course in Modern Chinese)
Awards
1996: 1st Price in the Competition “Tonnerre de Zeus” (on Graeco-Roman Culture)
1997: First Price in “Latin” and “Ancient Cultures” attributed in the context of the “Abitur” (School Leaving Examination)
27.6.2003: MA-Thesis distinguished by the “Springorum-Medaille”, RWTH
30.11.2007: PhD-Thesis distinguished by the “Friedrich Wilhelm-Preis”, RWTH (1000 €)
6.6.2008: PhD-Thesis distinguisged by the “Borchers-Plakette” of the RWTH
27.8.2014: Designation of the Monograph “Auf dem Weg ins Imperium“ as “Best non-Fiction Book September 2014“ by the SZ (Süddeutsche Zeitung) and the NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk)
Scholarships
2001 – 2002: MA-Scholarship by the “Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes“ (German National Academic Foundation)
1.11.2003 – 31.3.2005: PhD-Scholarship by the “Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes”
Memberships
Since 2005: Member of the international Research Group “Hegels Naturphilosophie”
Since 2006: Scientific Coordinator of the “Aachener Kompetenzzentrum für Wissenschaftsgeschichte“, RWTH (External Member since 2008)
Since 2007: Member of the Research Group “Römisches Aachen”, RWTH
Since 2009: Member of the Scholarly Association “Mommsen Gesellschaft”
Since 2009: Member of the Advisory Board of the Research Project “Episcopal Elections and Succession in Late Antiquity (ca. 300-600 AD)“, KULeuven
2009 – 2012: Member of the Research Group “Lokale Eliten in antiken Großreichen“, Universität zu Köln / Universität Erlangen
2009 – 2017: Member of the “Société d'études latines de Bruxelles (Latomus)“
Since 2009: Member of the Research Centre “Oikoumene. Centre d'Études Méditerranéennes“, ULB
Since 2009: Member of the Research Centre “SOCIAMM (Sociétés anciennes, médiévales et modernes)“, ULB
Since 2009: Member of the Research Centre “Phi“ (Centre de recherches en philosophie), ULB
2009 – 2013: Member of the Research Group “Hellénisme“ of the “Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België” voor Wetenschappen en Kunsten (dissolved 2013)
Since 2010: Research Associate of the “Waterloo Institute for Hellenistic Studies”
Since 2010: Member of the International Seleukid Study Group
Since 2011: Deputy Coordinator of the Alumni of the “Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes“ in Belgium
Since 2015: Collaborative Member of the Research Group “Global Antiquities Network“, McGill, Montréal
Since 2016: Co-director of the “Collège doctoral franco-allemand ‘Foule et intégration dans l’Antiquité Classique’”
Since 2017: President of the "International Oswald Spengler Society"
Since 2020: Member of the "Stowarzyszenie Twórców dla Rzeczypospolitej"
Participation in Academic Administration
2005 – 2006: Commission entrusted by the Institute of History of the RWTH with the development of an “Online Auto-Evaluation Test” for prospective students in History, in cooperation with the Institute of Psychology of the RWTH
Ref. 1.9.2008: Search Commission for Medieval History, RWTH (Succ. M. Kerner)
Ref. 1.1.2009: Search Commission for Ancient History, RWTH (Succ. R. von Haehling)
Since 2008: Council of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, ULB
Ref. 1.10.2010: Search Commission for the Assistentship “Auteurs latins“, ULB
Ref. 2010/11: President of the “Commission d’auto-évaluation pédagogique“ of the Historical Study Courses of the ULB (History, Archaeology, History of Arts, Musicology) (AEQES-Evaluation)
2012: “Commission d'évaluation scientifique interfacultaire (pour le corps scientifique)", ULB
Since 9.2012: Board of Administration of the “Belgian Historical Institute at Rome”
Since 2013: External Examiner for the “Fernand Braudel-Bursary”, IFER
2013 – 2015: “Commission d'évaluation scientifique de la Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres“, ULB
Ref. 1.10.2013: Search Commission for Latin Language and Litterature, ULB (Succ. Gh. Viré)
Ref. 1.10.2015: Search Commission for the 2015 “Open Chairs“ of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, ULB
8.2016: External Evaluator of the projected Research Group “Fontes Antiquitatis”, Université de Namur
Activities as Reviewer
Book Reviews for: Latomus; Bloomsbury; Studia Hellenistica; Oswald Spengler Series; Brill.
Paper Reviews for: Athenaeum; Ancient Society; Philosophical Journal of Conflict and Violence; Historia; Dialogues d'histoire ancienne; Journals of Ancient Civilizations; Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies, Oswald Spengler Journal; Poznań Studies in the Philosophy of the Sciences and the Humanities.
Project Reviewer for: European Research Council; Fernand Braudel Scholarship; Conseil Scientifique de l'Université de Namur.