She is a specialist in maritime history, especially the history of piracy and privateering; the history of Early Modern Europe; the history of European expansion and colonialism; and the history of the Netherlands. Professor Lunsford holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in History from Harvard University where she studied with Simon Schama. She also earned an M.A. in Government and a B.A. with High Distinction in History and Rhetoric & Communication Studies from the University of Virginia. At the Naval Academy, Professor Lunsford currently teaches courses on “Warfare in the Age of Sail”; “The Golden Age of Piracy: Myth and Reality”; “The Buccaneers: A Case Study in Asymmetrical Warfare”; and “American Naval History.”