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Steve Waters is a Professor of Scriptwriting at the University of East Anglia's School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing. He serves as convenor of the MA in Creative Writing: Scriptwriting programme and supervises 5 Creative/Critical PhD students. Waters is an active member of both the Creative Writing Research Group Steering Committee and CreativeUEA, with a particular focus on climate-related creative work through ClimateUEA. His office is located in room 1.18 of the Arts and Humanities Building at UEA. Waters is a prolific playwright working across stage, radio, and screen, often focusing on political and climate change themes. His research interests include playwriting pedagogy, climate change drama, and the relationship between science and artistic practice. He has been described as "one of the UK's most accomplished political playwrights" and has been at the forefront of artistic practice related to climate change since creating The Contingency Plan in 2009. His work frequently explores how drama can address complex social and environmental issues through innovative forms including site-specific performances at nature reserves. Waters' recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on climate change narratives through multiple media forms. His work shows an evolution from traditional theatre to site-specific environmental performances and radio dramas that engage directly with ecological issues. The Song of the Reed series represents a significant body of work combining artistic practice with conservation efforts at Wicken Fen and Strumpshaw Fen nature reserves. His scholarship bridges creative practice and academic inquiry, particularly in understanding how drama can contribute to public discourse on sustainability. BBC Audio Drama Awards 2023 for Song of the Reed Caucasian Chalk Circle nominated for Best Revival and Best Performance (2023) Nominated in top ten Outdoor Theatre shows by Outdoor Theatre conference for Murmurations Nominated for Best Fiction Podcast by British Podcasting Society 2020 for Fall of the Shah Professor Waters has successfully secured significant research funding including an AHRC Leadership Fellowship for "The Song of the Reeds: Dramatising Conservation" and multiple Arts and Humanities Research Council grants. He supervises five PhD students working on creative/critical projects and has been instrumental in developing playwriting pedagogy through his involvement with the British Theatre Conference and numerous workshops. His impact extends beyond academia through collaborations with major theatres including the Donmar Warehouse, Bush Theatre, and Sheffield Theatres. Waters leads the "Song of the Reed" creative research project, which involves collaborations with Wicken Fen and Strumpshaw Fen nature reserves. He co-convened the Writing and Science Project at UEA and continues to develop interdisciplinary work through ClimateUEA. His current projects include "Dodo, Phoenix, Butterfly" - a collaboration exploring future climate scenarios, and ongoing work with the Creative Writing Research Group to advance understanding of scriptwriting as both practice and scholarly inquiry.

• Playwriting
• Scriptwriting
• Climate Change Drama
• +5 more

Zayneb Allak serves as Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing within English and Creative Arts disciplines. Her creative research explores poetry, anthologies, and nuclear-themed narratives through literary and interdisciplinary approaches. Creative domains: Poetic representations of historical trauma Nuclear age narratives and ethical implications Cross-cultural storytelling techniques Autobiographical elements in speculative fiction Publications demonstrate evolving engagement with nuclear themes, from metaphorical treatments in early poetry to direct historical fiction. Recent work shows increased focus on political narratives and character-driven stories. Professional activities include conference presentations on Freudian influences in poetry and literary workshops like 'Be My Guest' (2023).

• Poetry
• Creative Writing
• Literary Anthologies
• +1 more

Dr. Fraser Mann is a Senior Lecturer in American Literature at York St John University's School of Humanities, specializing in conflict narratives, trauma studies, and music writing. He co-founded the Music, Memory, and Narrative Research Group and has edited several collections including 'Music, Memory and Memoir' (Bloomsbury) and 'Venue Stories' (Equinox). His research examines representations of conflict in American fiction and the emergence of music memoir as a genre. Current work explores grunge mythology, rave culture memory, and shoegaze aesthetics. He teaches American literature, trauma theory, creative nonfiction, and gender studies. Publications demonstrate consistent focus on musical autobiography, cultural memory, and subcultural narratives across rock, electronic, and alternative music scenes.

• American war literature
• Music memoir
• Trauma narratives
• +3 more

Alison Habens is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead in Creative Writing at the University of Portsmouth, within the Faculty of Creative & Cultural Industries and the School of Film, Media and Creative Technologies. She leads undergraduate programs including BA (Hons) Creative Writing, BA (Hons) English and Creative Writing, and BA (Hons) Film Studies and Creative Writing, and contributes to the MA Creative Writing program. She is the Academic Lead (Communication) alongside Ian Tapster and actively supervises PhD students. Her research centers on the origins of creative ideas, particularly through the lens of divine inspiration and classical muses, stemming from her PhD on 'divine inspiration' in literature. She explores the civic and psychological impact of writing, including narrative therapy, dementia care, and community wellbeing. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially in education and civic engagement. Her recent publications reflect a strong focus on myth, muse theory, reinterpretations of Alice in Wonderland, and fairy tales for adult audiences. She leads the Portsmouth Writers Hub, a community interest company fostering inclusive writing projects on social and environmental issues. She has received the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence (2023) and serves as an External Examiner at Kingston University and the University of Westminster. PhD in English Literature and Creative Writing, University of Portsmouth (2010) Senior Lecturer since 1994, instrumental in expanding creative writing programs Active researcher with 19 outputs and 7 completed or ongoing projects She has supervised multiple PhD theses and mentors emerging writers through community initiatives. Her work bridges academic research, creative practice, and public engagement, emphasizing accessibility and the transformative power of storytelling. Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence (2023)

• Creative Writing, Theory and Practice
• English Literature
• Fairy Tales
• +13 more

Carole Burns is an Associate Professor in the School of English at the University of Southampton, specializing in fictional writing, short stories, novels, narrative non-fiction, and autofiction. Her current research explores the impact of political climates on families and individuals, and she is actively accepting PhD applicants. Research Interests: Fictional writing, The short story, The novel, Narrative Non-fiction, Autofiction, Political Climate Impact on Families Supervision: Currently supervising four PhD students in English literature. Awards: Recipient of the 2015 John C. Zacharis First Book Award and shortlisted in Mslexia's 2021 Short Story Competition. Her recent publications span literary criticism, creative non-fiction, and short fiction, including features in Electric Literature, The Washington Post, and LitHub. She is a member of the Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing (CMCW) and contributes to interdisciplinary research initiatives.

• Fictional writing
• The short story
• The novel
• +3 more

Professor Preti Taneja is a distinguished academic at Newcastle University's School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics, where she holds the position of Professor. Her interdisciplinary work bridges literary scholarship with creative practice, establishing her as a significant voice in contemporary postcolonial studies and global Shakespeare scholarship. Her research interests span Shakespeare studies, Indian literature in English, postcolonial theory, translation studies, and creative writing. Taneja's work consistently explores themes of cultural identity, linguistic politics, and cross-cultural exchange, with particular attention to South Asian diasporic experiences. Her scholarship demonstrates a unique fusion of theoretical rigor and creative expression, challenging conventional boundaries between academic and artistic production. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent trajectory examining how classical texts are reimagined across cultural contexts, with particular focus on Shakespearean adaptations in South Asian contexts. Her work demonstrates increasing engagement with questions of musicality, multilingualism, and embodied knowledge, moving beyond textual analysis to consider performance, sound, and sensory dimensions of cultural transmission. Professor Taneja maintains an active presence in public intellectual discourse through radio contributions (including BBC's Free Thinking and Private Passions) and creative writing projects. Her work reflects a commitment to making academic scholarship accessible while maintaining intellectual depth, bridging the gap between university research and broader cultural conversations.

• Shakespeare Studies
• Postcolonial Literature
• Indian Writing in English
• +3 more