Glynis Ridley

Professor Glynis Ridley is a faculty member in the English Department at the University of Louisville since 2004. She holds a D.Phil. from Trinity College, Oxford, and an M.A. (Hons.) from the University of Edinburgh, specializing in eighteenth-century studies. Her research focuses on interdisciplinary topics including literary history, animal studies, and the intersection of science and exploration. She is renowned for her book Clara’s Grand Tour (2004), which won the Institute of Historical Research Prize, and The Discovery of Jeanne Baret (2010), which inspired the naming of the species Solanum baretiae. Current projects include a book on an Anglo-Irish banking family and co-editing an essay collection marking the tercentenary of Robinson Crusoe. She teaches eighteenth-century literature and animal studies, and welcomes inquiries about her work.

• Education: D.Phil., Trinity College, Oxford; M.A. (Hons.), University of Edinburgh

Her research interests span eighteenth-century cultural studies, with a focus on travel literature, gender representation, and the history of science. She has published widely on topics such as automata in literature, courtroom dramas, and botanical exploration. Recent work highlights include co-authoring a paper on the discovery of Solanum baretiae and editing special journal editions on animal studies.

Awards: Institute of Historical Research Prize (2004).

Her scholarly contributions bridge literary analysis and scientific history, emphasizing marginalized figures like Jeanne Baret and exploring the cultural contexts of exploration and natural history.