Dr. Diane Barthel-Bouchier is Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook New York. She has also taught at Boston College and Essex University, England, and been Visiting Research Professor at the Martin Centre for Architecture and Urban Studies, Cambridge University. A recognized expert in the sociology of heritage, art, and culture, she is the author of Amana: From Pietist Sect to American Community (1984), Putting on Appearances: Gender and Advertising (1988) and Historic Preservation: Collective Memory and Historical Identity (1996), as well as over thirty articles published in professional journals and edited volumes.

At present, Dr. Barthel-Bouchier is engaged in two research projects. The first concerns the organizational responses of heritage organizations to the growing ecological crisis. The second project examines issues of cultural diversity within the global film industry, with a specific focus on French - US comparisons.

A recipient of the prestigious SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Dr. Barthel-Bouchier teaches courses in the Sociology of Art, Cultural Sociology, and Sociological Theory.

Dr. Barthel-Bouchier is also the Founder of the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA), an international organization with members in over 20 nations. She is herself an accomplished artist working within the natural history tradition, and has lectured and taught on related topics.