Caroline is back at Kings College London finishing an MA in Classics. The main focus of her work is on two modules that combine to make a very interesting project. They are Mystery Cults in the Graeco-Roman Worlds and The Late Roman City. Her choice to take both modules was massively influenced by her time with Context Rome in 2006; she reports that it's absolutely down to her experiences over the last year that she has developed such an interest in the cityscape. Caroline is combining the two modules in her thesis, which is going to be something along the lines of how religious buildings are used as Roman propaganda in the provinces.

Paola Barubiani holds a laurea in modern languages and a second degree in medieval history. She has been lecturing and leading groups in Florence for several years. She is extremely knowledgeable about the city and its important role in the world--from an artistic and cultural center in the Renaissance. She has a special interest in Fra Angelico, about whom she wrote her thesis.

Will first came to Paris as a MA student at Columbia University in 1994. He has since returned to finish up his UC Berkeley PhD in French, with a dissertation entitled "Alliances in Translation: Beckett, Genet, Rimbaud and Celan," which he is currently revising for publication. Will has also recently embarked on a new project involving writers who live and work outside of their native countries, entitled "The Other Ambassadors: Figures Abroad After Henry James."

After living Rome and spending some time in NY, Aya moved back to Israel, where she started her studies for a Masters in Art History in the Tel Aviv University (obviously concentrating on the Baroque in Rome...). Meanwhile, she is teaching art (practical lessons) in high school "hayovel", Herzelia, and is continuing as an independent artist (painting and etching), and has just participated an art exhibition in Tel Aviv. She hopes to start giving lectures about the Jewish community in Rome through a company which she's in touch with, due to her walks with Context.

A longtime Context docent, Carlos is now conducting post-doctoral research at the University of Heidelberg as a fellow of the Humboldt Foundation.

Australian native Flavia Marcello holds a Ph.D in architecture and teaches architectural history and sketching at Temple University in Rome. She wrote her PhD dissertation on Italian architecture of the Fascist period and the planned city EUR. As a scholar of Rome's most recent layer she has had to studied all those that came before so she is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of Roman art history, its architecture and its urban development.

Mark Rosen received his Ph.D. in the History of Art from the University of California, Berkeley in 2004 and is currently doing research in Florence. A specialist in the history of Florentine art and its urban development, he is especially passionate about Renaissance maps. He has lived in Florence on and off for the past six years.

Emily Wise Miller is the author of The Food Lover's Guide to Florence (Ten Speed Press, 2003), and the updated 2nd edition, which was published in spring, 2007. She has written on food, travel, and culture for Saveur, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Times London Travel Magazine, and other publications, and has edited cookbooks for Williams-Sonoma. While living in Italy for many years, Miller has developed a passion for and knowledge of Italian food and wine that she is eager to share with others.