Ellen Welch is a Professor in the French & Francophone Studies program where she teaches on French cultural history, literature, and theater and performance. A specialist of Ancien RĂ©gime France, she has written books on the history of exoticism in French literature and on the role of the performing arts (especially ballet) in early modern diplomacy. She holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from Brown University, where working on an honors thesis sparked the passion for research that she now enjoys sharing with UNC undergrads.