Tony Novosel was appointed as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Tony Novosel, a senior lecturer and advisor in Pitt’s Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, has been appointed as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his contributions to peace in Northern Ireland.

Novosel began traveling to Northern Ireland in 1974, shortly after he graduated high school, and witnesses the deadly destruction of “the Troubles,” a conflict between religious groups in the country that lasted more than 30 years. His many years of travels inspired him to enroll at the University of Pittsburgh, and he graduated with a bachelor’s in 1989, a master’s degree in Soviet and Russian history in 1991 and a PhD in Soviet history in 2005.

Since he began his teaching career at Pitt, Novosel has prioritized making the cultural learning that comes from a study abroad a possibility for more students. He has partnered with Study USA since 1996 to counsel and support young people from Northern Ireland who study in the United States. He’s also led trips across Ireland — to Dublin, Derry and Belfast — for Pitt students since 2004.

When Novosel published his research on the Troubles in a 2013 book, he was invited to present his findings by groups on both sides of the conflict. And his students continue to benefit from his passion for and work within the country: Novosel invites many guest lecturers to his popular lecture courses on modern Irish history.