Thrity Umrigar

Thrity Umrigar is a Distinguished University Professor at Case Western Reserve University, balancing her roles as an award-winning novelist and educator. She teaches courses in creative writing workshops and 20th-century American and African-American literature. Her academic focus emphasizes contemporary literature's relevance to modern life.

Education: PhD in English from Kent State University.

Research & Writing: Umrigar's novels and memoir explore themes of cultural identity, immigration, and familial bonds. Her works include The Space Between Us, If Today Be Sweet, and The World We Found, translated into 15+ languages.

Awards:

• 2009 Cleveland Arts Prize in Literature
• 2006 PEN/Beyond Margins Award finalist
• Nieman Fellowship (Harvard University, 2000)

Prior to academia, Umrigar spent 17 years as a journalist, contributing to the Boston Globe and Washington Post book sections. She actively engages in public lectures on literary themes and writing craft.