Jonathan M. Weiss - Biography

Biography

Jonathan Mark Weiss was born in New Britain, Connecticut. He received his B.A. from Columbia College in 1964, and his Ph.D. from Yale University in 1973. From 1967–1968 Weiss had a Fulbright Fellowship for research in France. In 1977 and again in 1979, he had a Canadian Government fellowship for research in Quebec. He was also granted in 1979 another Fulbright Fellowship for research this time in Quebec.

In the mid 1960s Weiss worked as an interpreter for the United States State Department during which time he interpreted for, among others, Martin Luther King, Jr. for francophone African dignitaries. From 1969-1972 Weiss was a lecturer in French, at the University of Warwick, Coventry, England. From 1972–2007 he was an instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and full professor of French at Colby College. He was granted tenure in 1978 and was promoted to full professor in 1986. Weiss served as Chair of the modern foreign languages department from 1982–1985, he was also the director of Off-Campus Study and Academic Affairs from 1990–1997, and Associate Dean of Faculty from 1997–2000. In September 2000 he was awarded the NEH endowed chair. During his tenure as director of off-campus study, Weiss established programs of study in Dijon, France, and London, England, the latter a joint program with Bowdoin and Bates colleges. Weiss continues to direct the Dijon program.

In his authored works, Weiss typically writes in French or English depending of his audience. His recent Némirovsky biography was written in French and published in France before being translated into English by his wife for publication in the United States. Irène Némirovsky was a prolific Russian-born French writer of fiction who published her novels and short stories in Paris until she was deported to Auschwitz.