On May 28, the Caucasus School of Humanities and Social Sciences hosted Professor Katie Rose Hejtmanek of Brooklyn College.

Professor Hejtmanek met with students of the School and delivered a public lecture titled “Culture and Well-Being: Lessons from a Mental Institution, the Gym, and Beyond.” The lecture explored human well-being in the context of different cultures and personal experiences.

Katie Rose Hejtmanek, PhD is full professor of anthropology at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York (CUNY) in the United States. She is in Georgia on a Fulbright Scholar Award. Her research examines self transformation in cultural context, including in mental institutions, gyms and strength sport collectives, and the longevity movement. She has published various academic and popular writings, been featured on television and podcast episodes, and her most recent book, The Cult of CrossFit: Christianity and the American Fitness Phenomenon, was published by NYU Press in 2025. She is also a world and national champion in masters weightlifting.