Where Are They Now? Tracking The Accomplishments of CLIR Postdoctoral Fellows – Lorena Gauthereau

Where Are They Now? Tracking The Accomplishments of CLIR Postdoctoral Fellows

Since its establishment in 2004, the CLIR Postdoctoral Fellowship Program has stood as a remarkable opportunity for recent Ph.D. graduates to gain invaluable experience within academic libraries, archives, and museums. This esteemed fellowship initiative, known for its competitive nature, has offered vital support to over 200 postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have made significant contributions to the field of library and information science.

In the series, we closely examine the current roles held by CLIR postdoctoral fellows and celebrate their accomplishments as they complete their fellowships. These individuals have achieved remarkable success and wield considerable influence in their respective fields, ranging from taking on leadership roles in academic libraries to securing tenured faculty positions at universities. We delve into the profound impact of CLIR’s postdoctoral program on the careers of its alumni and highlight the exciting projects and initiatives they have spearheaded.

In this edition, our focus shines on Lorena Gauthereau, who currently serves as the Digital Programs Manager at the University of Houston’s US Latino Digital Humanities Center and the “Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage” project. She dedicates countless hours to enhancing the discoverability of digitized U.S. Latino archival materials spanning from colonial times to 1980, playing a crucial role in preventing their potential loss.

As the Digital Programs Manager for the University of Houston’s U.S. Latino Digital Humanities (USLDH) program and the “Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage” project, her mission revolves around the preservation and retrieval of U.S. Latino literature and culture.

Gauthereau is also one of only 15 individuals from across the nation to be honored with the Rare Book School’s Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship for Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Heritage. As a fellow for the period of 2021-2023, Gauthereau has been acquiring additional skills for documenting and interpreting visual and textual materials within special collections and archives. She is actively engaged in raising awareness within professional communities regarding the importance of inclusive, multicultural collections, their promotion, development, and stewardship, and forging connections with diverse communities through programming, outreach, and advocacy.