Maria Georgopoulou is an art historian interested in the intercultural exchanges in the Mediterranean world and holds a Ph.D. from UCLA. She has published on the architecture of Venetian Crete, the art of the crusades and is currently exploring the art of the Ottoman Balkans. Before becoming the Director of the Gennadius Library at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens in 2004, she taught at Yale University. During her tenure the Gennadius Library has expanded its academic offerings and developed new outreach programs and exhibitions to attract and educate an ever-wider audience.