Michael J. Ernst is currently a doctoral candidate specializing in Islamic Art & Architectural History.  He holds an A.B. in History, M.A.L. and M.Phil. in Middle East & Islamic Studies, and M.S.Ed. in The Learning Sciences & Technologies from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied with Renata Holod before her retirement.  Ernst’s primary research area is the modern & contemporary Islamic visual culture of the Caucasus and Central Asia, in particular, that of Azerbaijan and the Greater Caspian Region.  His research includes a focus on architecture, digital images, video games, quotidian art, affect theory, affective computing, semiotics, nationalism, national narratives, and national identity formation.  In addition to these areas, Ernst is well-versed in a variety of academic topics such Christian theology and liturgy; Anglican, Evangelical Lutheran, and Roman Catholic history and culture; Renaissance and Baroque sacred music; Zionism and the current Israel/ Palestine Conflict; the Hispano culture of New Mexico and California; and the history and material culture of Freemasonry. 
Ernst is the recipient of research grants and fellowships from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence & Research (INR), the American Research Institute of the South Caucasus (ARISC), the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of International & Foreign Language Education (IFLE), the University of Pennsylvania, and Temple University.  He is currently editing a volume on the history and material culture of Freemasonry in Pennsylvania for the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania’s 300th Anniversary, as well as working on a research project related to Azerbaijani video games and affective responses of players. Dissertation Title: “Visual Culture & Spaces of Nationalism and Islamic Identity in Post-Soviet Azerbaijan.”