Brandon Hawk

Dr. Brandon Hawk is a Professor in the Department of English at Rhode Island College, where he has been teaching since 2015 after joining as an Assistant Professor. His academic journey progressed through Associate Professor (2020-2024) to his current full Professor position (2024-present), with prior experience as a Post-Doctoral Teaching Associate at the University of Tennessee (2014-2015).

Dr. Hawk's educational foundation includes a Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from the University of Connecticut (2014), an M.A. in Medieval Studies from the same institution (2009), and a B.A. in English from Houghton College (2007), supplemented by specialized training at the First Summer School on Christian Apocryphal Literature at Université de Strasbourg (2012).

His research centers on biblical apocrypha in Anglo-Saxon England, particularly the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and related texts, examining how medieval communities adapted, translated, and transmitted religious narratives. He has pioneered the concept of 'transmission studies' to analyze textual circulation across cultural boundaries. Notably, Dr. Hawk bridges academic scholarship with public engagement through his analyses of Star Wars and medieval manuscript traditions, making medieval studies accessible to broader audiences.

His scholarly output reveals a clear evolution from focused textual studies toward interdisciplinary approaches combining traditional philology with digital humanities tools. Recent publications demonstrate increasing attention to transmission networks, digital methodologies for manuscript analysis, and cross-cultural reception of religious narratives, while maintaining his core focus on how medieval communities engaged with texts beyond the biblical canon.

Dr. Hawk's contributions have been recognized through numerous prestigious awards:

• Multiple Faculty Scholarship and Development Grants from Rhode Island College for digital research initiatives
• Book Subvention Award from the Medieval Academy of America
• Most Valuable Professor Award from the Rhode Island College Athletics Department
• University of Connecticut Humanities Institute Dissertation Fellowship

As an educator, Dr. Hawk has developed innovative courses spanning traditional medieval literature to specialized topics like 'Star Wars and Theory.' He currently serves as Director of the Liberal Studies Program and Director of Graduate Studies in English at Rhode Island College. His grant activity reflects a sustained commitment to building digital infrastructure for medieval studies, including the Sources of Old English and Anglo-Latin Literary Culture project.

Dr. Hawk co-directs the Digital Research Center at Rhode Island College and serves as Director of the Sources of Old English and Anglo-Latin Literary Culture project. His collaboration with Dot Porter at the University of Pennsylvania on the 'Sacred Texts: Codices Far, Far Away' video series has gained significant public attention, appearing in Forbes, Space.com, and The Daily Pennsylvanian. This work exemplifies his unique ability to connect academic medieval studies with contemporary popular culture through media appearances, podcasts, and contributions to major outlets like The Washington Post and The Conversation.