Jonathan Alexander

Jonathan Alexander is a Chancellor's Professor of English and Informatics at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), affiliated with the School of Humanities. He holds roles such as Director of the Humanities Core Program and Core Faculty in the Program in Culture & Theory. Alexander earned his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Louisiana State University (1993).

Research & Education: His work focuses on writing studies, rhetoric, lifespan writing, life writing, and the rhetorics of popular culture. He explores how writing shapes identity, particularly through queer theory and autofiction. Notable projects include The Wayfinding Project, investigating post-graduate writing experiences, and collaborations with the UCI Connected Learning Lab.

Awards & Recognition: Alexander is a three-time recipient of the Ellen Nold Award and the 2023 Exemplar Award from CCCC. His creative works, including the Creep Trilogy (Creep, Bullied, Stroke Book, Dear Queer Self), have been Lambda Literary Award finalists and received IPPY Gold Medal recognition. He also authored influential academic texts like On Multimodality and Understanding Rhetoric.

Public Engagements: Alexander frequently contributes to platforms like the Los Angeles Review of Books and has been featured in UCI Podcasts. His research bridges academia and public life, addressing themes of queerness, trauma, and pedagogy. He advocates for inclusive education and the transformative potential of writing across lifespans.

Labs & Teams: Collaborations include The Wayfinding Project (studying alumni writing trajectories) and contributions to digital media initiatives at UCI. His interdisciplinary work spans rhetoric, media studies, and queer cultural critique.