Bayla Kamens, a PhD student in the Department of Classics, has been named a semifinalist for the prestigious Dean’s Award for Graduate Research Excellence, recognizing their innovative contributions to accessible classical scholarship and public-facing educational resources.
Kamens’ research and outreach efforts center on making ancient Greek and Latin more approachable for both traditional students and the growing global community of self-learners. Their recent project—a co-authored intermediate commentary on the ancient Greek parody epic The Battle of Frogs and Mice—has garnered widespread acclaim for its thoughtful design and pedagogical value.
The commentary pairs sections of the Greek text with Kamens’ original illustrations on the left-hand page, while the right-hand page offers English glosses for uncommon vocabulary and detailed grammatical notes. These notes were developed in collaboration with readers through ongoing reading groups, ensuring the material met the needs of its intended audience.
“Our goal was to create a resource that allows readers to move through the text with ease and enjoyment—two key ingredients for successful language acquisition,” Kamens explained during their presentation.
Available as both a free PDF and a print-on-demand book, the commentary has sold over 320 copies since its release, with consistent monthly sales. It also received a highly favorable review in the Bryn Mawr Classical Review (BMCR), the leading scholarly journal in the field.
Kamens and their collaborator are currently working on a second commentary, this time on Aristophanes’ The Frogs, continuing their thematic focus on amphibian-themed Greek literature. In addition, Kamens is preparing a public-facing commentary on the Anacreontea, a collection of ancient Greek lyric poetry that was the subject of their MA thesis.
Beyond their publications, Kamens is deeply involved in the broader Classics community. They curate a resource library and organize events for an online network of over 26,000 learners of ancient Greek and Latin. They also contribute to open-access digital tools, including a free Latin dictionary and corpus search platform, and support projects like Professor Timothy Moore’s ancient meter database.
“The study of ancient languages has long been gatekept,” Kamens noted. “But public interest is growing, and I’m committed to creating open-access tools and scholarship that anyone can use.”
Kamens’ work exemplifies the spirit of the Dean’s Award, which honors graduate students whose research demonstrates excellence, innovation, and public impact. Their dedication to inclusive scholarship continues to inspire both academic peers and independent learners around the world.
