Emily Sferra

Emily Sferra is a doctoral candidate and teaching fellow in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She holds an MA in English from Ohio University (2015) and a BA in English and Religion from Denison University (2013). She is completing a graduate certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies. Her research focuses on depictions of adolescent women resisting domestication and their relationships with peers, with a particular interest in Victorian literature, feminist theory, queer theory, and women’s writing.

Her publications include analyses of maternal identity in Victorian fiction and entries on Victorian women writers. She has received numerous awards, including the Erika Lindemann Teaching Award (2020) and the Early Stages Dissertation Fellowship (2022). She has also been recognized through grants and fellowships related to humanities education and public engagement, such as the Arts Everywhere Fellowship (2020) and the Humanities for the Public Good Fellowship (2019).

• Education:
  • MA English, Ohio University, 2015
  • BA English and Religion, Denison University, 2013

Her research intersects literary analysis with gender studies, examining themes of selfhood, voice, and resistance in Victorian narratives. She has contributed to both scholarly journals and encyclopedic works, enriching discussions on women’s roles in literary history.

Her grants and fellowships highlight her dedication to pedagogy and public humanities, including collaborations with PlayMakers Repertory Company to bridge academic and community engagement. She has also been awarded scholarships and accolades throughout her academic career, underscoring her commitment to interdisciplinary and socially engaged scholarship.