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Elizabeth McCracken is a Professor in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, where she teaches creative writing courses including Advanced Fiction Workshop (CRW 355F), Literature for Writers (E 380F), and Fiction Writing (CRW 325F). She also teaches in the low residency MFA program at Bennington College. McCracken received her M.F.A. from the University of Iowa in 1990. Her academic career has been distinguished by numerous grants and fellowships from prestigious organizations including the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Her creative interests focus on Creative Writing , particularly Fiction , Short Stories , and Autobiographical Writing . McCracken's work explores complex human relationships, grief, memory, and the transformative power of storytelling. Her writing is characterized by its emotional depth, wit, keen observation of human nature, and ability to blend the comic with the heartbreaking. McCracken's publications have established her as a significant voice in contemporary American literature. Her work has been widely recognized for its originality and emotional resonance, appearing in prestigious collections such as The Best American Short Stories, The Pushcart Prize, and The O. Henry Prize Stories. Winner of The Story Prize for Thunderstruck & Other Stories (2015) Finalist for the National Book Award for The Giant's House (1996) Named one of the 20 Best Young American Novelists by Granta Recipient of grants from the Guggenheim Foundation, NEA, American Academy in Berlin, and other prestigious organizations As an educator, McCracken has mentored numerous writing students through her positions at the University of Texas and Bennington College. Her teaching emphasizes both technical craft and emotional authenticity, encouraging students to find their unique voices while developing strong writing techniques. Her 2023 novel The Hero of This Book has been named a Top Ten Best Book of the Year by Time and People magazines, further cementing her reputation as one of America's finest contemporary writers.

• Creative Writing
• Fiction
• Short Stories
• +4 more

David A. Smith is an Associate Professor at the Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University. His research focuses on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and computational linguistics, with applications in machine translation, information retrieval, digital humanities, and social sciences. He is a founding member of the NULab for Texts, Maps, and Networks, a research center focused on digital humanities and computational social sciences. Smith's work has been funded by grants from the Mellon Foundation, NEH, and IMLS, supporting projects such as the Viral Texts initiative analyzing 19th-century newspaper networks and the Oceanic Exchanges project tracking transnational information flows. He has contributed to advancements in OCR for historical texts, text reuse detection, and computational analysis of classical languages. He has advised numerous PhD students, including Shijia Liu, Si Wu, and Ryan Muther, and teaches courses like Natural Language Processing and Information Retrieval. His research has been featured in outlets like Wired and the Economist .

• Natural Language Processing
• Computational Linguistics
• Machine Translation
• +3 more

Laurie Shannon is the Franklyn Bliss Snyder Professor of English at Northwestern University, with a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. She studies English literature and culture in the long sixteenth century, focusing on the history of ideas in language, stakeholdership, embodiment, and cross-species relations. She serves as convener of The Anne Lister Society and is collaborating with Oxford University Press on a scholarly edition of Anne Lister’s Journal. Education: J.D., Harvard Law School; Ph.D., University of Chicago Shannon’s research explores the political imagination in early modern literature, particularly through friendship (Sovereign Amity: Figures of Friendship in Shakespearean Contexts) and animal studies (The Accommodated Animal: Cosmopolity in Shakespearean Locales). Her current monograph, 'Frailty’s Name: Shakespeare and the Natural History of Human Being,' examines human negative exceptionalism in Renaissance thought and its implications for climate crisis ethics. Her publications span Shakespeare studies, queer theory, environmental humanities, and textual editing. Notable awards include the Elizabeth Dietz Memorial Award, Robert B. Cox Teaching Award, and Dean’s Award for Graduate Mentoring. She has held NEH, ACLS, and Guggenheim fellowships. Scientific Awards: Elizabeth Dietz Memorial Award, Robert B. Cox Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award, Dean's Award for Graduate Mentoring, NEH Fellowship, ACLS Fellowship, Guggenheim Fellowship Shannon contributes to the Anne Lister Diary Transcription Project and has served as English Department Chair at Northwestern. Her recent articles focus on Shakespeare’s engagement with natural history, queer cosmology, and animal sovereignty, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach.

• Early Modern Literature
• Gender & Sexuality Studies
• Environmental Humanities
• +5 more

Professor Dorit Abusch is a faculty member in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at Cornell University's College of Arts & Sciences. Her research focuses on semantics, pragmatics, and their applications to visual narratives. She explores topics like tense semantics, presupposition triggering, modal logic, and the interplay between language and visual media. Current work extends linguistic methodologies to analyze art forms such as comics, cave paintings, and temple sculptures. Her research interests include formal semantics applied to visual narratives, dynamic semantics, possible world theory, and multimodal discourse representation. She investigates how visual elements like sequential art and pictorial sequences convey temporal progression, aspectual distinctions, and free perception constructions through semiotic frameworks. Recent presentations include talks on applying semantics to film and picturebooks at institutions like MIT and the University of Padua. Her publications emphasize cross-media analysis, with key works published in Linguistics & Philosophy and Sinn und Bedeutung . Abusch has received grants for projects studying visual narratives in Indian art and wall paintings of Rajasthan. These include a 2012-2013 Humanities Research Grant and a Cornell Institute for Social Sciences award. Her work bridges linguistics with philosophy and visual studies, offering innovative frameworks for understanding non-linguistic communication through formal semantic tools.

• Semantics
• Pragmatics
• Visual Narratives
• +5 more

Michaela D.E. Meyer is a Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Christopher Newport University (CNU), specializing in critical media studies, LGBTQ+ issues, and television/film analysis. Her research bridges interpersonal communication, gender and sexuality studies, and emerging adulthood narratives. Ph.D. in Communication, Ohio University M.S. in Journalism, Ohio University Ph.B. in International Studies, Miami University Her research focuses on intersectional representation in media , LGBTQ+ narratives , and relational aggression in film . She employs narrative and autoethnographic methods to critique political ideologies in popular culture, such as neoliberalism in Fixer Upper and feminist critiques in Glee and Shondaland . Michaela’s recent articles explore themes like disability discourses in Korean television , feminist film auteur theory , and nostalgia in streaming reboots . These works highlight identity politics , gender representation , and media’s role in social discourse . Paul Boaze Prize, Ohio University (2025) Outstanding Panel Award in Sexuality and Gender Identity, Central States Communication Association (2025) Faculty Excellence Award in Undergraduate Research Mentorship, CNU (2025) James W. Chesebro Award for Scholarly Distinction, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Caucus of CSCA (2021) She has mentored undergraduate research and contributed to critical media pedagogy , with grants and service awards reflecting her commitment to diversity and inclusion in academia. Her full scholarship and honors are detailed in the scientific_awards section.

• Critical Media Studies
• LGBTQ+ Representation
• Television and Film Analysis
• +7 more

Sungsoo Ray Hong is an Assistant Professor at George Mason University's Department of Information Sciences and Technology, directing the Alignment Lab (A-lab). His research focuses on bridging human mental models with AI systems through Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). Dr. Hong earned his PhD in Human Centered Design and Engineering at the University of Washington. Research Domains: Human-AI Collaboration, Interactive Data Annotation, Steerable Deep Neural Networks, and AI-Driven Applications Key Grants: NSF Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier (2021-2024, $160K) Email: shong31@gmu.edu Hong's research explores how humans interact with machine learning systems to improve decision-making and task productivity. His lab develops tools for collaborative data annotation, interpretable model building, and AI-augmented creativity in professional contexts. Recent work includes applications for neurodiverse workers and comic professionals. The 15 most recent publications show strong focus on Human-AI collaboration (7 articles), interactive systems design (11 articles), and accessibility applications (5 articles). Topics span from explainable AI frameworks to collaborative annotation interfaces and creative industry tools. Dr. Hong maintains active collaborations with KAIST researchers, including Dr. Jaegul Choo and Dr. Juho Kim. His lab offers remote internships and accepts PhD students for summer positions.

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Computer-Supported Cooperative Work
• Data Science
• +5 more

Ju Hui Judy Han is an Associate Professor in Gender Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, with additional affiliations at the Center for Korean Studies, Center for the Study of Women, and Asia Pacific Center. Her office is located in 1117 Rolfe Hall at UCLA. As a cultural geographer, Professor Han is committed to building critical and transnational conversations concerning gender, sexuality, and activism, regularly contributing to community-based projects and public events both on campus and beyond. Professor Han received her Ph.D. in Geography from UC Berkeley and her B.A. in English and Women's Studies from UC Berkeley. Her educational background bridges humanities and social sciences, providing a strong foundation for her interdisciplinary research. Her research interests span (Im)mobilities, Religion and difference, conservatism, LGBTQ/queer politics and activism, Comics and graphic novels, Korean studies, and Cultural geography. Professor Han approaches these topics through a critical lens that emphasizes transnational perspectives, particularly focusing on South Korea and the Korean diaspora. Her work often examines how power operates through spatial arrangements and how marginalized communities navigate and resist dominant structures. She has developed innovative approaches to studying activism through comics and graphic nonfiction, creating accessible yet theoretically rich analyses of complex social phenomena. Professor Han's publications reveal consistent engagement with queer politics in South Korea, religious movements, and transnational activism. Her work shows a progression from analyzing specific case studies to developing broader theoretical frameworks about resistance, solidarity, and spatial politics. The recurring themes across her publications include the intersection of religion and queer politics, the spatial dimensions of activism, and the transnational connections between social movements. UCLA Center for the Study of Women/Barbra Streisand Center, inaugural Barbra Streisand Fellowship on Truth in the Public Sphere Podcast Support Grant, University of California Humanities Research Institute (UCHRI), 2021-22 Society of Hellman Fellows Award, UCLA, 2021-22 UCLA Faculty Career Development Award, 2018-2019 Co-Applicant, 'Protesting Publics in South Korea,' SSHRC Insight Grant (PI: Jennifer Jihye Chun), 2015-2020 Co-Investigator, 'Urban Aspirations in Seoul: Religion and Megacities in Comparative Studies,' Max Planck Institute, 2011-2017 Professor Han actively contributes to public discourse through media appearances and community engagement. She has received significant research funding supporting her work on South Korean protest movements and urban religious dynamics. Her teaching portfolio is diverse, including the Gender Studies undergraduate core class on power (102), senior capstone seminars (187), elective courses on transnational feminist politics (131) and comics and graphic nonfiction (185), as well as graduate seminars on feminist geographies, queer temporalities, and research design.

• Cultural Geography
• Gender Studies
• Queer Politics
• +5 more

Walter D. Penrose, Jr. is a Professor at San Diego State University specializing in the History of Gender and Sexuality in Ancient Greek, Hellenistic, and South Asian contexts. His work also explores the Reception of Classics in modern periods, Disability Studies, and Ancient Religions. Penrose holds a Ph.D. in History from the City University of New York (2006) and a B.S. in Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach (1988). His research interests span interdisciplinary topics including gender diversity in classical thought, queer historiography, and cross-cultural comparisons of ancient societies. Penrose has published widely on topics such as Amazons in classical and modern media, disability discourse in antiquity, and homoeroticism in South Asian history. His 2016 monograph Postcolonial Amazons is a foundational text in comparative studies of gendered heroism in Greek and Sanskrit literature. Penrose’s publications include over a dozen book chapters and journal articles, with recent contributions analyzing gendered power dynamics in Hellenistic royal courts (2021), visual representations of Amazons in Troy adaptations (2022), and the intersection of disability and identity in ancient Greece (2015). His pedagogical work emphasizes inclusive approaches to teaching challenging classical topics like homophobia and gender variance. While no specific grants or awards are noted, Penrose’s work consistently bridges classical studies with modern interdisciplinary frameworks, contributing to fields such as queer studies, disability studies, and world history. His research continues to explore marginalized voices in ancient texts and their contemporary receptions.

• History of Gender and Sexuality
• Classical Reception Studies
• Disability Studies
• +4 more

Aida Levy-Hussen is an Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Michigan's LSA (Literature, Science, and the Arts) College. Her research focuses on African American literature, trauma studies, gender and sexuality studies, and 20th-century American literature. She holds an A.B. from Harvard University (2003) and a Ph.D. from Emory University (2009). Levy-Hussen's work interrogates the intersections of race, memory, and cultural expression. She examines how African American writers engage with historical trauma, particularly slavery's legacies, and explores themes like boredom, affect, and narrative form in contemporary works. Her recent scholarship includes analyses of Ishmael Reed’s postmodern historiography and Spike Lee’s satirical film Bamboozled . She currently teaches courses on African American literature, Toni Morrison, and narrative theory. Her office is located in 3232 Angell Hall, with regular appointment-based office hours. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned, but her prolific publication record reflects sustained academic impact in literary studies. Levy-Hussen’s writing emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, blending literary criticism with cultural theory, psychoanalysis, and historical analysis. Her book How to Read African American Literature (2016) provides a transformative framework for interpreting post-civil rights fiction.

• African American Literature
• American Literature
• Gender and Sexuality Studies
• +4 more

Sunny Stalter-Pace serves as the Hargis Professor of American Literature in Auburn University's College of Liberal Arts, English Department. A specialist in modernist performance, literature, and urban space, she authored Imitation Artist: Gertrude Hoffmann's Life in Vaudeville and Dance (2020) and is currently completing a cultural history of the New York Hippodrome. Her work bridges academic research with public engagement through blogs, interviews, and collaborations with institutions like the Library of Congress. Her educational foundation includes: Ph.D. in English, Rutgers University (2007) M.A. in English, Rutgers University (2003) B.A. in English and French, Loyola University Chicago (1997), magna cum laude Stalter-Pace's research interrogates intersections of mobility, gender, and performance in 20th-century American culture. She examines how vaudeville, subway systems, and theatrical spectacles shaped public identity, with particular attention to women's experiences and spatial politics. Her methodology combines literary analysis, archival research, and visual studies to reveal how imitation and movement function as cultural forces. Current projects explore aquatic performances at the New York Hippodrome and the legacy of vaudeville producer Gertrude Hoffmann. Her 15 most recent publications demonstrate an evolving trajectory from subway systems ( Underground Movements , 2013) toward aquatic spectacles and vaudeville legacies, consistently centered on New York City's infrastructure. This body of work establishes mobility studies as a critical lens for understanding modernism, revealing how transportation networks and performance venues structured social interactions. Her interdisciplinary approach connects theater history, gender studies, and urban theory to uncover marginalized narratives in American cultural production. Key recognitions include: Harry Ransom Center Fellowship (2020) New York Public Library Short-Term Research Fellowship (2020) Alabama Humanities Foundation Grant (2014) College of Liberal Arts Excellence in Teaching Award nomination (2011) Multiple research fellowships from 2003-2017 Stalter-Pace has secured substantial funding for archival research through fellowships from the NEH, MLA, and university grants. She serves on Biographer’s International Organization's program committee and curated the 'Common Grounds' exhibition at Auburn's Jule Collins Smith Museum. Her teaching innovations include the first-year seminar 'Thinking Through the Arts' and courses on contemporary drama that integrate Hamilton into American literature pedagogy. As Book Review Editor for Transfers: Interdisciplinary Journal of Mobility Studies , she shaped scholarly discourse in mobility studies. Through her Hippodrome research blog and collaborations with the New York Public Library, Stalter-Pace transforms specialized scholarship into accessible public history. Her Library of Congress presentation on Albertina Rasch and the Hippodrome exemplifies her commitment to bridging academic research with community engagement, while ongoing interviews and blog posts extend her work beyond traditional academic boundaries.

• American Literature
• American Modernism
• Performance Studies
• +6 more

Shenila Khoja-Moolji is an Associate Professor at Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and holds the Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani Chair of Muslim Societies. Her work critically examines intersections of gender, race, religion, and power in Muslim contexts across South Asia and the diaspora. She earned degrees from Brown University, Harvard University, and Columbia University, with a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on: Colonial/postcolonial education systems Sovereignty and affective politics Ismaili diaspora communities Anti-Muslim racism and security studies Notable awards include the 2019 Jackie Kirk Book Award, 2022 ISA Theory Section Best Book Award, and 2024 Nautilus Award. She serves on boards for the American Academy of Religion and Ismaili Tariqa & Religious Education USA. Her recent works analyze: "The Impossibility of Muslim Boyhood" (2025) "Rebuilding Community" (2023) "Sovereign Attachments" (2021) Her scholarship bridges anthropology, sociology, and critical theory to challenge hegemonic narratives around Muslim societies. Current projects explore carceral logics and global affective economies.

• Critical Muslim Studies
• Anthropology of Religion
• Feminist Theory
• +7 more

Claudia Romanelli serves as Associate Professor of Italian and Italian Program Director within the Department of Modern Languages & Classics at the University of Alabama, where she also functions as Italian Undergraduate Advisor. Her office resides in BB Comer Hall 217 with contact details cromanelli@ua.edu and (205) 348-5059. Dr. Romanelli holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research centers on Italian cinema within global contexts , screenplay authorship , collaborative creative processes , postcolonial narratives , and intermedia experimentation . As a generalist in Italian literature specializing in modern and contemporary periods, she currently develops a book manuscript analyzing Pier Paolo Pasolini and Federico Fellini's cinematic relationship. Her work bridges film studies, literary criticism, and cultural theory with particular attention to marginalized perspectives. Analysis of her 2009-2024 publications reveals sustained engagement with Pasolini's screenwriting contributions to Fellini's films, adaptations of literary works to cinema, and examinations of otherness in Italian cultural production. Key thematic threads include authorship models in collaborative filmmaking, postcolonial representations, and transnational co-production dynamics within European cinema. No scientific awards were documented in the source material. As Italian Undergraduate Advisor, Dr. Romanelli guides student academic trajectories. While departmental highlights mention French PhD students Olabayo Awodirepo, Mablka Lambon, and Diweng Mercy Dafong, her specific graduate advisees remain unspecified. No research grants or funded projects were referenced. No dedicated research laboratories or collaborative teams were identified in the provided information.

• Italian Cinema
• World Cinema
• Screenplay Studies
• +5 more

Andrew Lund is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Classical Studies at Tulane University. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Cincinnati (2023), an M.A. (2018), and a B.A. (2013). His research focuses on Greek and Latin literature, particularly Roman drama, with an emphasis on performance culture and social identity. He is completing a monograph, Seneca Comicus: Comic Enrichment and the Reception of the seruus callidus in Senecan Tragedy , and explores the reception of Terence’s plays across eras. Education: Ph.D./M.A. Classics (University of Cincinnati), B.A. Classics (Grand Valley State University) Research interests include ancient drama’s role in shaping cultural narratives, the interplay between literary and material evidence, and how status, gender, and identity are constructed in classical texts. His work bridges classical antiquity with modern reception studies, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. Prior appointments include Colorado College and the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome (Centro). He currently teaches courses such as CLAS-1010: The Rise of Rome. Awards: FAAR Fellowship (2023) No grants or advising details are explicitly provided in the text. He contributes to academic discussions through his research projects and teaching.

• Ancient drama
• Spectacle and performance culture
• Greek and Latin poetry
• +4 more

Thomas P. Balázs is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga . He specializes in Creative Writing , Speculative Fiction , and Comics and Graphic Novels , blending literary craft with cultural and religious commentary. His teaching extends to Western Humanities , British Literature , and Modernism , with a focus on psychoanalytic themes in literature. Research Focus: Balázs explores intersections of Jewish identity, antisemitism, and cultural memory through fiction and nonfiction. His work often critiques contemporary societal issues, such as in Art Over Man: The Roger Waters Test Case (2024) and The Nihilism of Antisemitism (2023). Publications: He has authored the short story collection Omicron Ceti III (2012) and contributed to anthologies like Horror Library and journals such as Tablet Magazine and Quillette . His narratives frequently merge supernatural elements with Jewish theological concepts. Engagement: Balázs participates in literary conferences (e.g., StokerCon, Meacham Writers Conference) and community events, often discussing diversity in comics and horror fiction. His Substack features biweekly reflections on culture and identity.

• Fiction Writing
• Speculative Fiction
• Short Fiction
• +12 more

Shane Denson serves as Professor of Film and Media Studies in the Department of Art & Art History at Stanford University's School of Humanities and Sciences. He also holds courtesy appointments in the Departments of German Studies and Communication. His academic profile spans multiple disciplines with a particular focus on the evolving relationship between media technologies and cultural forms across historical periods. Denson's research interests encompass a wide spectrum of media studies topics, with particular emphasis on phenomenological and media-philosophical approaches to film, digital media, comics, games, and serialized popular forms. His scholarly work investigates how media technologies shape human perception, embodiment, and cultural production, especially in the transition from cinematic to post-cinematic media environments. He has developed significant theoretical frameworks around concepts like discorrelation, post-cinema, and digital seriality that have influenced contemporary media studies discourse. An analysis of Denson's recent publications reveals consistent engagement with the philosophical implications of emerging media technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and digital platforms. His work demonstrates a distinctive trajectory from early research on Frankenstein adaptations and serial narratives toward contemporary examinations of AI aesthetics, desktop cinema, and the phenomenology of digital interfaces. Denson's scholarship bridges traditional academic writing with innovative digital and videographic forms, reflecting his commitment to multimodal scholarly expression. Denson has established himself as a leading voice in the study of digital seriality, with numerous publications exploring how serial forms evolve across media platforms. His research demonstrates how contemporary digital media environments transform traditional narrative structures while creating new forms of community and meaning-making through serialized content. This work intersects with his broader interests in media philosophy and the embodied experience of digital interfaces. Professor Denson maintains an active scholarly practice through his personal website (shanedenson.com) and ORCID profile, where he shares his publications, videographic essays, and experimental digital projects. His work with ROMhacking.net demonstrates his commitment to digital humanities methodologies that combine code analysis with cultural critique, particularly in examining how fan communities engage with and transform established media properties through modification and reinterpretation.

• Film Studies
• Media Studies
• Digital Media
• +5 more