MARIA S. HORNE

Maria S. Horne is an international award-winning master teacher, director, actor, producer, and performing arts judge. Since 1994, she is a professor in the Department of Theatre & Dance at the University at Buffalo (UB). Her two main areas of research are Methodology of Acting (with concentration on Method Acting) and International Performing Arts. During the last two decades, she has recurrently presented her artistic and academic work in 24 countries: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Canary Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, United States of America, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Horne is the proud recipient of a 2005-06 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Internationalization and a 2002 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. She has also been honored with a Milton Plesur Excellence in Teaching Award -which is the foremost and only award conferred by the UB Student Association- and the UB Certificate of Recognition for The Positive Influence on Students at The University at Buffalo. In 2006, for her work as Research Director of IACE Creative Research Lab, she received the Promising Artists of the 21st Century Award conferred by Costa Rica 's Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano. Internationally, she has also been distinguished with the Excellence in Teaching and Distinguished International Career Award from the Universidad de Costa Rica, the National Council of the Arts Danza Diez Award from the Ministry of State for Culture of Venezuela, and the ASSITEJ Argentina Award granted by UNESCO's International Association of Theatre for Children & Young People. For her leadership contributions, the Western New York Hispanic Network acknowledged her with the Guarionex Award . At UB, Horne is recognized in the 2004-and thereafter, ongoing online- exhibition Women's Work, a Tribute to the Women Who Make UB Work as one of the 80 women, past and present, who have made a significant contribution to UB since its creation in 1876.

Horne is Vice-President of the International University Theatre Association (AITU); Board Member of UNESCO ITI Theatre Training & Education Committee; USA Delegate of CELCIT Centro de Estudios Latinoamericanos de Creación e Investigación Teatral; Board of Trustees of The Inter-American Art Theatre; Permanent Publishing Council & Referee of UNEXPO's Alquimia ; Board Member of AITU's Scientific & Publication Committee; and, Editor of AITU Press. She is also consultant for several national and international organizations. Since 2000, the United States Department of State has appointed Horne as American Cultural Specialist ACULSPEC to Estonia, Culture Connect Envoy to Paraguay, and U.S. Speaker and Specialist to Costa Rica.

Horne has co-edited three trilingual academic volumes: Studying the Theatre; Theatre without Frontiers; and, To Teach/To Study Theatre at the University: What for? Her articles have been published by refereed and leading journals in Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. In 2006, Horne's Method Acting for Performers of a New Century was produced by the Chair UNESCO ITI as part of its series Theatre Pedagogy on DVD. Ten of her dramatic translations and adaptations have been professionally produced. She has given conferences, lectures, workshops and master classes, and has delivered research papers at major universities and organizations worldwide. Horne has participated in 55 international academic/artistic research meetings in 24 countries, 14 international administrative meetings in 12 countries, and over 30 international performing arts festivals in 20 countries. She served as Academic Co-Chair of AITU's 5th World Congress of University Theatre ( Greece, 2003) and currently is Co-Chair of the 6th AITU World Congress' Scientific Committee ( Italy, 2006).

Since 1994, as Founding Director of the International Artistic & Cultural Exchange Program (IACE), Horne fosters a better cultural understanding at UB by presenting international artists of multicultural background. These residencies include performances, workshops for students, open lectures, presentations at Erie County schools, and meetings with the community. Internationally, Horne's IACE Academic Overseas Program provides UB students and faculty with learning and cross-cultural research opportunities by making their participation possible at selected international events and residencies abroad. In addition, Horne is Research Director of the IACE Creative Research Lab and Program Director of the UB Summer Study Abroad program: Theatre, Cultures and Civilizations in Romania, which she also created.