Jane Beal

Dr. Jane Beal is a Continuing Lecturer in the University Writing Program at UC Davis. She holds a BA, MA, and PhD in English from Sonoma State University and UC Davis, respectively, an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Bay Path University, and certificates in Midwifery and Narrative Medicine. Her research focuses on narrative medicine’s role in healing trauma for healthcare providers and patients, particularly in midwifery contexts, and she explores environmental writing through lyrical prose, haiku, and interdisciplinary art.

She teaches courses like 'Writing in the Health Professions,' preparing students for careers in medicine, veterinary science, and public health. Her creative works include poetry books such as Tidepools and Wild Birdsong, and she co-created the jazz-poetry project 'The Jazz Bird.' Her academic essays analyze avian symbolism in literature, from Tolkien’s works to Gerard Manley Hopkins’ poetry.

Dr. Beal’s nature writing spans ecosystems worldwide, reflecting her birdwatching passion and global midwifery experiences. She combines medieval literary expertise—evident in her Tolkien-focused seminars—with environmental advocacy through courses like 'Environmental Writing.'