The Agora

Hughes Liu is the Founder and Director of The Agora. He primarily works with Classical, late antique, and medieval history.

His academic interests center on Byzantine and Classical Roman political history, as well as the gradual transformation of the Roman world. His professional research portfolio and public-history work allow him to engage with both academic and public audiences.

Through The Agora, he hopes to create an intellectual space where youth from around the world can take their Classical and historical interests seriously, share original research, and connect with peers who are just as passionate about the humanities.

You can contact Hughes at: hughes.liu08@gmail.com

Alejandro Manso is the Co-Director and Director of Programming of The Agora. His academic interests center on the Roman monarchy and early Republic, particularly the evolution of Roman government and its construction and exercise of political power. Having studied Latin for six years, Alejandro has developed a deep appreciation for the language and the history it preserves. He currently serves as the Consul of his school’s Latin Club and is heavily involved in the Junior Classical League. Outside of the Classics, Alejandro enjoys spending time in nature and camping.

Through The Agora, Alejandro hopes to provide more students with opportunities to present their original research and engage seriously with the Classical world. He aims to foster a collaborative academic community where fellow students can exchange ideas, pursue their interests, and learn alongside peers who share their enthusiasm for the humanities and antiquity.

You can contact Alejandro at: mansospeech@gmail.com

Adam is the Director of Administration of The Agora and a junior at St. Mark’s School of Texas. He is passionate about the Classics, specifically the middle and late Republican period of Ancient Rome, as well as Latin grammar and linguistics. Adam is a prefect for his Latin program at school as well as the middle school Head Coach for Certamen. He has also played piano and studied musicology for 11 years, focusing on 1830s/1840s virtuoso-era operatic fantasies. Adam also runs a multi-chapter art nonprofit organization called UnboundEd Art, which is partnered and sponsored with The Agora.

Adam wishes to show the joys of Classics to a greater academic audience and help others continue their research journey in the field through The Agora.

You can contact Adam at: adam.zhang20@gmail.com

Angela Wu is Marketing and Outreach Director of The Agora. From introducing Latin and the Classics to her high school to serving as the National Junior Classical League Communications Coordinator, her fervor for the Classics takes a particular interest in community.

In her free time, Angela adores philosophy, language-learning, grammar, art, ancient Greek & Roman daily life, exploring her surroundings, and going on long walks with her community.

Through The Agora, she aims to bring the Classical world to more and more people, showcasing how the ancient and modern world are thoroughly intertwined.

You can contact Angela at: angela.wu@campbellhigh.net

Nayan Patel is the Technical Director of The Agora. He has fostered his love for the Classics over his six years of studying Latin and his two years studying Attic Greek. Nayan is currently a junior at The Roxbury Latin School in Boston, where he serves as the Co-Vice President of the Classics Club. He regularly competes at certamens in New England such as the Harvard Certamen and the Yale Certamen. He hopes to connect with like-minded peers while expanding The Agora’s reach and creating an engaging platform for students who share his passion for the classical world.

You can contact Nayan at: 2009nayan@gmail.com

Louie Merriam is the Director of Web Operations and a Panel Moderator of The Agora. He is passionate about the digital humanities, computational linguistics, and the intersection of STEM and the humanities. Most of his projects center on applying computation to the study of history. He has researched and published on the Indus script, Dravidian linguistics, the vernacularization of Chinese, the colonial looting of African artifacts, historic Black cemeteries in Washington DC, and the Brahmi script.

Outside of this work, Louie enjoys running, playing his violin (with a passion for Klezmer and Bluegrass), competing in quizbowl competitions, and listening to Rocksteady and Ska records. Louie is eager to foster a love of the Classics and digital humanities with other students and to connect with like-minded individuals.

You can contact Louie at: louis.merriam@gmail.com