Aristotelis Nayfa is the Dean of Grace Hopper College.
Dean Nayfa is a Byzantine historian whose research examines the economic, political, and social institutions that shaped the medieval Eastern Roman Empire. His current book project explores the socioeconomic history of the imperial court under the Macedonian dynasty (ninth–eleventh centuries CE), revealing how both financial and social networks underpinned imperial governance and the exercise of power.
He earned his Ph.D. in Byzantine History from the University of Edinburgh, where he also completed an MSc in Late Antique, Islamic, and Byzantine Studies. He holds a B.A. in History and Classical Civilization from Vanderbilt University.
Before joining Yale, Dean Nayfa was a Postdoctoral Fellow in Byzantine Studies at Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection (Harvard University). There, he contributed to a wide range of scholarly and public-facing initiatives, including digital catalogues, museum exhibitions, and educational programming that brought Byzantine history and material culture to broader audiences.
Dean Nayfa has taught medieval history and historiography at the University of Edinburgh and is passionate about making the study of the past both intellectually rigorous and accessible. He looks forward to teaching a range of courses in Yale’s History Department and helping students develop the critical skills that historical inquiry fosters.
Alongside his academic career, Dean Nayfa has extensive experience in residential life and student affairs. Having held leadership roles at the University of Edinburgh and the University of South Carolina, he supervised student staff, managed residential communities, supported student well-being, and led initiatives spanning programming, operations, and crisis response. He is committed to cultivating inclusive and supportive communities, where students can flourish both academically and personally.
Dean Nayfa is joined at Grace Hopper College by his wife, Gladys, and their young son, George. Gladys is a classicist who earned her Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, where she also taught during her graduate studies. As a family, they enjoy cooking, discovering local bakeries and restaurants, spending time outdoors, and traveling.
To make an appointment to see Dean Nayfa, contact Jamie Perry in the Hopper Dean’s Office (jamie.perry@yale.edu; 203-432-0744).