CU professor doesn’t let life’s unpredictability hold him back
Professor Eric T. Love is an associate professor and director of undergraduate studies in the history department at the University of Colorado.
As a professor, writer and researcher, Love specializes in the period of U.S. history from the early colonial period through World War I. Within this period of history, Love is most interested in how political, social, cultural, economic and racial developments shaped the nation historically, both domestically and in its global relations.
Love strongly believes in setting goals, and the added personal drive that follows by doing so. Love set a goal his sophomore year of high school to attend Princeton University.
“Big goals, big dreams drive and inspire us to do things we may not believe we are capable of,” Love said.
When he wasn’t accepted to Princeton straight out of high school, Love went to Brown but did not let his ultimate goal escape him. After getting his first MA from the University of Vermont, he got accepted to Princeton and graduated with another MA, as well as a Ph.D. to accompany it.
Currently, Love teaches a U.S history class focusing on 1865 through the present. Along with teaching at the University, Love also wrote a book titled “Race Over Empire: Racism and U.S. Imperialism, 1865-1900.” Love’s book is currently being used in classrooms at colleges such as Harvard, Brown and Princeton.
“Right now, I am working on three book projects: a textbook in US history, a cultural history of the opening of Japan and one that combines biography, the history of technology, politics and slavery. (The latter book is) titled ‘Storm Inside a Box: Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin and the Fate of Nations.'”
Love was offered a position at the University of Colorado in 2000 and accepted it because it gave him opportunities to further his research, writing and teaching skills. Love said he has great colleagues and students, and has no plans on leaving CU anytime soon.
“Life is unpredictable,” Love said. “Who can say where any of us will be five or 10 years from now?”
Love can be reached at Eric.Love@Colorado.edu
