It’s uncommon for academics to transition from STEM fields into the humanities, and rarer still for a chemist to become a scholar in ancient Germanic studies. It’s a rare and no doubt difficult path to pursue, but certainly not impossible, as Ann Sheffield’s academic career demonstrates.

And it comes with benefits: A diverse background allows for the potential of interdisciplinary approaches and perspectives that may otherwise not arise. This is evident in Sheffield’s academic work, where one can find an article titled “Accelerator mass spectrometric determination of carbon-14 in the low-polarity organic fraction of atmospheric particles” (1989) beside a piece focused on narratives about the Christianization of the North Germanic peoples, and work that is relevant to both spheres, such as analyses of wool production methods (“Uptake of Copper(II) by Wool”, 2005).

In our latest entry in Mimisbrunnr.info’s Six Questions column, Sheffield discusses her background and how she become an academic in ancient Germanic studies, including the influence major figures in the field have had on her work. Finally, Sheffield discusses her in-progress research—such as her work on the topic of brewing in Northern Europe—in the early medieval period.

Read the interview here!