David Roh

David Roh is Professor and Chair of the Department of English at the University of Utah, where he also previously directed Digital Matters (2018–2022). A leading scholar in literary studies, Asian American studies, and digital humanities, he has authored or co-edited four major books including Minor Transpacific (Stanford, 2021) and the forthcoming Techno-Orientalism 2.0 (Rutgers, 2025).

Education

• B.A. English, University of California, Los Angeles
• Ed.M. Technology in Education, Harvard University
• Ph.D. English, University of California, Santa Barbara

Research Interests

David Roh’s research sits at the intersection of literary studies, Asian American studies, and digital humanities. He interrogates how speculative fiction, digital technologies, and legal regimes shape racial imaginaries across the Transpacific. His work on techno-Orientalism reveals how Asia and Asian bodies are figured as simultaneously hyper-technological and pre-modern within science fiction, gaming, and media cultures. He is particularly invested in Korean and Japanese narrative forms and their circulation within American cultural contexts.

Scientific Awards & Honors

• 2023 Honorable Mention, Book Award in Literary Studies, Association for Asian American Studies
• 2019 Summer Residency Fellowship, National Humanities Center
• 2017 Faculty Fellowship, Tanner Humanities Center, University of Utah
• 2016 Rising Star in the Humanities Award, University of Utah

Teaching & Labs

David Roh teaches graduate and undergraduate courses such as Digital Humanities and Studies in Asian American Literature. He has directed Digital Matters, a lab that fosters interdisciplinary digital scholarship and pedagogy at the University of Utah, focusing on sustainable lab practices and community-engaged research.