J. W. Hammond

J. W. Hammond is an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition in the Department of Humanities at Michigan Technological University (MTU), within the College of Science and Arts. He received a BA in Psychology and English from the University of Texas at Austin, an MA in Educational and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a PhD in English and Education from the University of Michigan. His research focuses on writing studies, social justice, and science and technology studies, examining how writing standards shape social power dynamics and inequities. Hammond teaches writing-intensive courses like Advanced Composition and The Rhetoric of Everyday Texts, emphasizing critical thinking and interdisciplinary collaboration.

He was honored with MTU's 2024 Distinguished Teaching Award in the Teaching Professor/Assistant Professor category, recognized for his innovative project-based pedagogy and student-driven course design. Colleagues praise his ability to empower students across disciplines to engage deeply with rhetoric and writing. Hammond is also a member of the Academy of Teaching Excellence. His upcoming initiatives include developing a new course on The Rhetoric and Culture of Games, inspired by student feedback on the persuasive potential of game design.

• Education:
  • Bachelor's Degrees: Psychology and English (University of Texas at Austin)
  • Master's in Educational and Policy Studies (University of Texas at San Antonio)
  • PhD in English and Education (University of Michigan, 2019)
• Teaching Philosophy: Focuses on defamiliarizing familiar concepts (e.g., analyzing syllabi as rhetorical texts) and fostering critical communication across disciplines.
• Grants/Advising: No specific grants listed, but actively designs courses based on student input, such as the forthcoming game studies course.
• Labs/Teams: Collaborates with multidisciplinary student groups on projects like board game redesign to explore procedural rhetoric.