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David Means is a Visiting Associate Professor of English at Vassar College, where he has taught since 2001. He holds a BA from The College of Wooster and an MFA in poetry from Columbia University. His academic work centers on creative writing, modern and contemporary fiction and poetry, and American culture. Education: BA, The College of Wooster MFA, Columbia University in the City of New York Means is a celebrated author of short fiction and novels, known for his lyrical prose, experimental narrative structures, and deep exploration of trauma, memory, and redemption. His work frequently appears in The New Yorker , Harper’s , The Paris Review , and other prestigious literary journals. His writing often returns to themes of violence, loss, and the quiet grace that emerges in their aftermath, drawing comparisons to Flannery O’Connor and Denis Johnson. His stories are marked by a nonlinear sense of time and a profound empathy for marginalized or broken characters. His recent publications include the story collection Instructions for a Funeral (2019) and Two Nurses, Smoking , with his novel Hystopia longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. His forthcoming non-fiction book, Pivot: Ruminations in the Shadow of Death , reflects on mortality and personal reflection. Selected Awards and Honors: Guggenheim Fellowship (2013) Three O. Henry Prizes Three Pushcart Prizes Los Angeles Book Prize for Fiction Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist, Frank O’Connor International Short Story Prize Longlisted, Man Booker Prize Means has advised and influenced many emerging writers through his teaching and public readings. While specific students are not named in the sources, his role as a mentor is evident in his sustained presence in creative writing programs. He has no known research grants or lab affiliations, as his work is primarily literary and individual. He continues to publish and engage in public discourse on the nature of storytelling, including critiques of AI-generated fiction.

• Creative Writing
• American Fiction
• Short Story
• +5 more

Emma Törzs serves as an Assistant Professor (Non-Tenure Track) in the English Department at Macalester College, where she teaches Introduction to Creative Writing (ENGL 150) for the Fall 2025 semester. Her research explores narrative structures and genre boundaries, with specific focus on: Contemporary Speculative Fiction Narrative Pleasures Genre Theory Transformative Works Creative Nonfiction She maintains an office in Old Main, Room 208, and is contactable via etorzs@macalester.edu for academic inquiries.

• Contemporary Speculative Fiction
• Narrative Pleasures
• Genre Theory
• +2 more

Gayle Letherby is a Visiting Professor of Sociology at the University of Plymouth’s Peninsula Medical School (Faculty of Health), and holds visiting roles at the University of Greenwich and the University of Bath’s Centre for Death and Society (CDAS). She is an Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences (since 2007) and recipient of the 2023 Lifetime Contribution to Autoethnography Award. Her research focuses on feminist methodology, health sociology, grief and bereavement, mobility studies, and criminology. She has supervised over 20 doctoral students across multiple universities, including topics like non-motherhood, occupational therapy, and gang culture in African Caribbean communities. Her teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate levels, covering crime theory, auto/biographical research, and feminist epistemology. Notable collaborations include participatory studies on homeless individuals’ food experiences and ethnographic explorations of medical decision-making. Her interdisciplinary work bridges sociology, criminology, and health studies, with a strong emphasis on autoethnographic and creative methodologies. Recent research explores themes like grief narratives, gendered travel experiences, and the emotional dimensions of doctoral journeys. She has contributed to policy discussions on family-centred care and has been a guest lecturer globally, including at York University (Canada) and University College Cork (Ireland). Awards: Academy of Social Sciences Academician (2007), Lifetime Contribution to Autoethnography (2023) Teaching Expertise: Feminist research methods, criminology, sociology of health, gender studies Key Research Areas: Auto/biography, non-motherhood, medical sociology, mobility, grief studies

• Feminist Methodology
• Family and Kinship Studies
• Health and Medicine Sociology
• +5 more

Simon O'Sullivan is a Professor of Art Theory and Practice and Programme Leader for the MA in Contemporary Art Theory at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is affiliated with the Department of Visual Cultures, focusing on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of art, performance, and continental philosophy. His work explores themes such as mythopoesis, fictioning, and the production of subjectivity, with a particular interest in Deleuze and Guattari's theories. O’Sullivan collaborates under the name Plastique Fantastique, a performance fiction collective that interrogates aesthetics, subjectivity, and cultural politics through interdisciplinary practices. His research interests span aesthetics, continental philosophy, and modern/contemporary art, including ritual/performance, psycho/schizo-analysis, and non-philosophy. He has published extensively, including monographs like From Magic and Myth-Work to Care and Repair (2024) and Fictioning: The Myth-Functions of Contemporary Art and Philosophy (2019 with David Burrows). O’Sullivan’s work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing hybrid writing and speculative approaches to art and culture. He teaches on the MA Contemporary Art Theory and contributes to BA and MPhil/PhD programs, mentoring students in areas like theory-fiction, occulture, and care and repair. His collaborative art projects have been exhibited globally, and he frequently presents at international conferences on topics such as myth-science and speculative methodologies.

• Aesthetics
• Art Theory
• Contemporary Art
• +10 more

Lenny Williams is a Professor in the Screen Scoring department within the Professional Writing and Music Technology school at Berklee College of Music. With over 1,000 broadcast hours scored for major networks including National Geographic, PBS, A&E, and Netflix, he brings extensive industry experience to his academic role. His educational background includes: Bachelor of Music (BM) in Composition from The Peabody Conservatory of Music (1983) Williams specializes in non-fiction television scoring across wildlife documentaries, historical programming, and political satire. He emphasizes daily compositional practice and creativity under deadline pressure, teaching students to refine their unique artistic voice while meeting industry demands. His methodology focuses on transforming idea generation into efficient execution for professional media environments. His exceptional career has earned significant recognition: Six Emmy Awards with twelve nominations Five BMI Awards Contributions to Grammy-winning recordings RIAA Gold/Platinum and 10 U.K. Gold Records Prestigious festival wins including Jackson Hole (2007) and Wildscreen (2008) As an educator, Williams mentors screen scoring students using real-world experience from collaborations with National Geographic, Eva Cassidy, and The Capitol Steps. He prepares composers for industry challenges by cultivating disciplined creative habits, collaborative skills, and passion-driven artistry essential for success in film and media music careers.

• Film Scoring
• Television Music
• Broadcast Music
• +3 more

Steven G. Kellman is a Professor of English at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where he has taught since 1976. A leading scholar in comparative literature and literary translingualism, he was UTSA's first Ashbel Smith Professor (1995-2000) and has received numerous accolades including the National Book Critics Circle Balakian Citation and the New York Society Library Award for Biography. His academic foundation includes: Ph.D. in Comparative Literature, University of California at Berkeley (1972) M.A. in Comparative Literature, University of California at Berkeley (1969) B.A. in English & General Literature, State University of New York at Binghamton (1967) Kellman's research focuses on comparative literature, modern and contemporary literature, prose fiction, literary translingualism, film, and biography. He pioneered the study of writers who create in non-native languages, examining how linguistic displacement fuels creativity and shapes identity across cultural boundaries. His work bridges literary analysis with cultural history, particularly in American literature and biography. His recent publications demonstrate sustained engagement with translingualism, pandemic-era literary interpretation, and biographical recovery of marginalized voices. Articles from 2022-2025 reveal consistent thematic threads: re-examining classic texts like Camus' The Plague through contemporary crises, analyzing translingual writing as spiritual practice, and recovering erased narratives in literary partnerships. Honors include the National Book Critics Circle Nona Balakian Citation (2006), New York Society Library Award for Biography (2006), and Gemini Ink Literary Excellence Award (2008). Additional distinctions: UTSA COLFA Researcher of the Year Award (2019-2020) McGinnis-Ritchie Award for Nonfiction (2008) San Antonio Public Library Foundation Arts and Letters Award (2005) Two UTSA President's Distinguished Achievement Awards in Research Excellence (1990-91, 2005-2006) Kellman has secured prestigious fellowships including the Fulbright Distinguished Chair at Sofia University and Harvard's John E. Sawyer Fellowship. He served four terms on the National Book Critics Circle board and edits Brill's Literary Multilingualism series, demonstrating sustained commitment to advancing literary scholarship through editorial leadership and institutional service.

• Comparative literature
• Modern and contemporary literature
• Prose fiction
• +3 more

Pierre-Luc Landry is an Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies at the University of Victoria (UVic), where he has been based since 2019 on the traditional territory of the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. He is affiliated with UVic’s Media Studies and Cultural, Social and Political Thought programs. His academic career spans teaching at Cégep de l'Outaouais, Université Laval, University of Ottawa, and the Royal Military College of Canada. Landry holds a PhD and MA in research-creation from Université Laval, following a B.A. in literature studies and a historical foundation from Cégep du Vieux-Montréal. Education: PhD in Research-Creation (Université Laval), MA in Research-Creation (Université Laval), BA in Literature Studies (Université Laval), Cégep du Vieux-Montréal (history) Research Affiliations: Director of Colonialisme, culture & critique / Colonialism, Culture & Critique; Director of Groupe de travail et d’expérimentation sur l’indiscipline; Regular Member of Esthétique et politique de l’image cinématographique (EPIC); Associate Member of Équipe de recherches en études queer au Québec (ÉRÉQQ) Landry’s research integrates queer activism, cultural critique, and creative experimentation. His work spans queer theories, settler colonial studies, Indigenous literature, and media studies, often blending scholarly analysis with artistic practice. His publications include critical essays, experimental texts, and novels that interrogate human behavior, temporalities, and marginalized identities through magical realism and existential themes. Notable awards include the Ottawa Book Prize (2016) for *Les corps extraterrestres* and the APFUCC Best Book Award (2021) for *QuébeQueer*. He received a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship and was a finalist for the Gabrielle-Roy Prize and Radio-Canada Readers’ Prize. Landry co-hosts the podcast J’habite où je lutte with Vanessa Jérome, exploring political resistance and queer lived experiences. Key Themes: Queer resistance, anti-assimilationism, research-creation, political essays, and LGBTQ+ cultural production Media & Artistic Work: Podcast co-host, webzine creator, and multidisciplinary artist

• Cultural Studies
• Critical Québec Studies
• Contemporary Literatures and Cultures (France, Canada, Francophone World)
• +10 more

Sophie McCall is a Professor in the Department of English at Simon Fraser University (SFU), specializing in Indigenous literatures. Her research focuses on decolonization, resurgence, and the ethics of collaborative authorship, particularly examining how Indigenous writers challenge settler colonialism through storytelling. She holds a BA from Queen’s University, an MA from UBC, and a PhD from York University. McCall is the author of First Person Plural: Aboriginal Storytelling and the Ethics of Collaborative Authorship (2011), which received critical acclaim, and editor of foundational texts like Devil in Deerskins: My Life with Grey Owl (2014). She co-edits Read, Listen, Tell: Indigenous Stories from Turtle Island (2017) and directs SFU’s Masters of Arts for Teachers of English (MATE) program. Her work bridges literary criticism and activism, addressing residential school narratives, Indigenous-Black solidarity, and the politics of reconciliation. She co-chairs the Indigenous Voices Awards and leads SSHRC-funded projects exploring Indigenous-led literary collaborations. Key themes in her scholarship include textualizing orality, ethical representation, and multidisciplinary Indigenous arts. Awards: Gabrielle Roy Prize finalist (2011), Canada Prize finalist (2011) Projects: SSHRC-funded collaboration with NunatuKavut scholar Kristina Bidwell Roles: Director of MATE, Co-chair Indigenous Voices Awards McCall’s publications span scholarly articles, edited collections, and anthologies, emphasizing Indigenous agency in storytelling. Her teaching and research prioritize decolonizing methodologies and amplifying Indigenous voices across disciplines.

• Indigenous literatures
• collaboration
• relationality
• +7 more

Maria K. E. Lahman is a Professor in the Department of Applied Statistics and Research Methods within the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Northern Colorado. She holds a Ph.D. in Child Development from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2001) and serves as Co-Chair of the Institutional Research Board at UNC. Her academic work bridges qualitative methodology with ethical research practices and creative representation. Dr. Lahman's research focuses on culturally responsive qualitative research, research ethics, early childhood education, and the aesthetic representation of research through poetry and other creative forms. Her scholarship addresses creating ethical solutions for culturally complex methodological situations, diversity issues, young children, mothering experiences, and qualitative writing representation. As a Mennonite, she integrates social justice and peacebuilding into her pedagogy and scholarship. Her recent publications show a clear trajectory toward innovative research representation, with a particular emphasis on research poetry and culturally responsive methodologies. The 15 most recent articles reveal a consistent focus on ethical research practices, creative representation forms, and culturally responsive approaches to qualitative inquiry, with increasing attention to poetry as a legitimate research method and representation form. Outstanding Advisor Award, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, UNC (2008-2009) Outstanding Scholar Award, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, UNC (2007-2008) Service Provider Award, University of Northern CO (2006-2007) Outstanding Teacher Award, College of Education, UNC (2002-2003) Dr. Lahman has advised numerous graduate students in qualitative methodology and has been recognized for her exceptional mentorship. Her research program has generated multiple textbooks including Ethics in Social Science Research: Becoming Culturally Responsive (2017) and Writing and Representing Qualitative Research (2021), which have become influential resources in the field. She maintains an active research agenda focused on advancing ethical research with diverse groups and developing innovative methods for representing qualitative findings. Her work centers around creating spaces for culturally responsive research practices, with particular attention to vulnerable populations and ethical dilemmas in fieldwork. Dr. Lahman's scholarship challenges traditional research boundaries through her exploration of research poetry and other aesthetic forms of representation that maintain academic rigor while embracing creative expression.

• Qualitative Methodology
• Research Ethics
• Culturally Responsive Research
• +4 more

Jennifer Del Nero is a Clinical Assistant Professor at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) within the Department of Special Education, Language, and Literacy in the School of Education. Her academic focus centers on literacy education, particularly through the lens of Gothic literature and popular culture. She has taught courses including Lit Strat, Assess & Instr , Internship II , and Exploring Classroom Communities . Ph.D. in Literacy Education, Rutgers University (2015) M.A. in English Literature, Rutgers University (2007) B.S. in Elementary Education/English, The College of New Jersey (2003) Her research explores adolescent literacy, creative writing instruction, and the integration of popular culture into reading curricula. She emphasizes aesthetic transactions with texts, using Gothic themes to foster critical thinking and engagement. Key publication themes include Gothic texts in literacy development, reading motivation, and interdisciplinary teaching. She has presented at conferences like the International Literacy Association (ILA) and American Reading Forum (ARF). Scientific Awards: Graduate Thesis with Distinction (2015) Edward Frye Endowed Graduate Fellowship (2012) Rutgers Graduate School of Education Research Fellowship (2012) Del Nero’s career includes roles as a literacy coach and teacher in New Jersey schools, alongside academic work at TCNJ and Rutgers University.

• Literacy Education
• Adolescent Literacy
• Gothic Literature in Education
• +3 more

Dr. Mia You is a translingual poet and Assistant Professor at Utrecht University’s Department of Languages, Literature and Communication within the School of Humanities. She specializes in modern and contemporary literature, focusing on intersections between poetry, feminist theory, and global English. PhD in English from UC Berkeley MA in Regional Studies: East Asia from Harvard University BA in English Literature from Stanford University Her research explores creative humanities, translingualism, and sustainability through projects like the NWO-VENI Grant: Poetry in the Age of Global English . She contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Gender Equality and Sustainable Cities. Mia’s recent publications analyze bilingual practices, meme aesthetics, and literary resistance. She actively organizes conferences such as Against Extinction and collaborates with institutions like UNESCO City of Literature. NWO-VENI Grant (2022): Fellowship awarded competitively C. C. S. Crone Stipend (2018): Prize for non-fiction books As a member of the Creative Critical Approaches to the Health Humanities initiative and co-organizer of translingual writing workshops, Mia bridges art, literature, and societal change.

• Poetry
• 20th & 21st-century American literature
• Modernism
• +9 more

Ayendy Bonifacio is a Dominican American scholar, writer, and poet currently serving as Assistant Professor of English at the University of Toledo's College of Arts and Letters. Born in Santiago De Los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, and raised in East New York, Brooklyn, he earned his Ph.D. from Ohio State University and has established himself as a significant voice in American literature, Latine studies, and diaspora studies. His research focuses on the intersections of memory, migration, race, and colonial legacies in the Americas, with particular attention to nineteenth-century to contemporary print culture. Bonifacio's scholarly work bridges academic and public discourse, appearing in venues ranging from American Periodicals and ASAP/Journal to The New York Times and Slate . He explores how literary forms negotiate cultural identity across borders, with special emphasis on Dominican and Latinx experiences. Bonifacio's publications reveal a consistent trajectory examining transnational literary connections, particularly between Anglophone and Hispanophone traditions. His work frequently addresses anti-Blackness within Latinx communities, diasporic identity formation, and the material history of print culture. The 2024 monograph Paratextuality in Anglophone and Hispanophone Poems in the U.S. Press, 1855–1901 represents a significant contribution to understanding how multilingual poetry circulated in nineteenth-century American periodicals. Top ten best non-fiction books of 2017 (The Latino Author for Dique Dominican ) Bonifacio's writing has received support from prestigious organizations including the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Digital Media and Composition Institute (DMAC), the Ohio Arts Council, and the Society for Nineteenth-Century Americanists. His creative work spans multiple genres, including the memoir Dique Dominican (2017), poetry collection To the River, We Are Migrants (2020), and the forthcoming novel Bless Me, Papi (2025). He maintains an active presence in public intellectual discourse through contributions to major media outlets where he addresses contemporary issues of race, immigration, and academic labor.

• American Literature
• Latine Studies
• Diaspora Studies
• +7 more

Domino Renee Perez is a Professor in the Department of English and the Center for Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Her work bridges Young Adult Fiction, Mexican American and Latinx Literature, 20th and 21st Century American Literature, Film, Popular Culture, and Cultural Studies. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and has been recognized with the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award and induction into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers (2023). Ph.D., University of Nebraska at Lincoln Books: Fatherhood in the Borderlands (2022), There Was a Woman (2008), co-edited Race & Cultural Practice in Popular Culture (2018) Her research explores racialized representations in media, focusing on Mexican American fathers, La Llorona, and intersections of Indigeneity in Latinx studies. She integrates autoethnography, film analysis, and literary critique into a 'slow scholarship' approach, emphasizing personal investment and imaginative recreation. Recent publications analyze topics such as Latinx YA fiction, Weird Westerns, and Gloria Anzaldúa’s legacy. Her teaching includes courses like E 344C (Young Adult Fiction/Film) and LAH 350 (Latinx Young Adult Literatures). Scientific Awards Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award Academy of Distinguished Teachers Inductee (2023)

• Young Adult Fiction
• Mexican American and Latinx Literature
• 20th and 21st Century American Literature
• +6 more

Katherine Fama is a tenured Assistant Professor of American Literature in the School of English, Drama and Film at University College Dublin (UCD). She holds leadership roles including Deputy Head of School (2024–2027), former Director of Graduate Research (2021–2024), and Co-Director of the Fictional Spaces research substrand under UCD’s Thresholds of Knowledge research initiative. She co-founded the Single Lives Research Group and helped establish the International Singles Studies Association (ISSA). Her work bridges literary studies, feminist theory, architectural criticism, and creative pedagogy. Dr. Fama earned her PhD in English and American Literature from Washington University in St. Louis in 2013, with a certificate in American Culture Studies. She also holds an MA from New York University and a BA from Swarthmore College. Her postgraduate training includes a Digital EDI Ambassador Badge and participation in the Research Supervisor Support and Development programme at UCD. Her research centers on singleness, architecture and narrative, feminist theory, sexuality studies, and the history of emotions in modern American literature. She explores how domestic spaces shape identity, particularly for single women, and investigates the emotional and material dimensions of literary form. Her book project, The Architecture of Singleness , examines early 20th-century novels, domestic architecture, and the figure of the single woman in America. Her interdisciplinary approach is reflected in collaborations across film, media, and studio arts. Her recent publications span journals such as Emotions: History, Culture, Society , MELUS , Studies in American Naturalism , and Journal of Modern Literature . She co-edited Single Lives: Modern Women in Literature, Culture, and Film (Rutgers University Press, 2022), and her work increasingly integrates creative practice, including printmaking and community art projects focused on environmental regeneration. College of Arts and Humanities Teaching Excellence Award (2024) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow Volkswagen Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow NEH Research Fellow W.M. Keck Foundation Fellow Everett Helm Visiting Fellow Katherine Fama supervises PhD and MA students, including Chloe Green, whose research examines illness in the contemporary workplace novel. She founded the Graduate Futures workshop to support PhD candidates in academic and non-academic career development. Her funded research projects include 'Architecture and Narrative: The Built Environment in Modern Culture' and 'Print Exchanges: Site-specific Creative-Critical Responses to Extractivist Landscapes'. She has received grants from the NEH, Winterthur Museum, Huntington Library, Smith College, and the Marie Curie programme. She co-directs the Fictional Spaces substrand of the Thresholds of Knowledge research strand and collaborates with Dr. Jorie Lagerwey on the Single Lives Research Group. She is also active in the UCD Centre for Gender, Feminisms & Sexualities and has held leadership roles in the Irish Association for American Studies.

• American Literature
• Feminist Theory
• Singleness Studies
• +12 more

Sophie Seita is a London-based artist, researcher, and Lecturer in Fine Art & History of Art at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she also serves as Director of Critical Studies for the BA Fine Art Extension Degree and Deputy Director of Research for the Department of Art. Her interdisciplinary practice spans performance, video, sound, textiles, books, and installations, with language as a central material. Previously, she was a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Boston University (2019-2022) and a Junior Research Fellow at Queens' College, University of Cambridge (2016-2019). Seita's research interests encompass lecture-performances, poetic essays, video essays, practice-based research, queer studies, trans studies, affect theory, disability studies, deaf studies, creative access, experimental captions and audio descriptions, speculative approaches to archives, fictional collectives, concepts of play, difficulty, opacity, absurdity, ornamentation, deep listening, histories of avant-garde group formation, translation studies, multilingualism, queer ecology, decolonial ecology, and experimental pedagogy. Her creative curiosities include opacity, playfulness, difficulty, artifice, queer abstraction, minor genres, ornamentation, materiality beyond objects, the materiality of language, listening beyond hearing, ambiguity, non-linear narratives, and provisional ideas. Her recent publications demonstrate strong trends in examining the intersections of performance, language, and experimental publishing, particularly focusing on lecture-performances as critical knowledge production, the materiality of language, and speculative approaches to archives. Her work consistently engages with queer and feminist perspectives on avant-garde practices while exploring experimental forms of documentation and presentation. Werner Düttmann Fellowship at Akademie der Künste Berlin (2024) Vice-Chancellor's Public Engagement Award (University of Cambridge) Eccles Centre Fellowship (British Library) PEN/Heim Translation Award Wonder Book Prize Dorothea Schlegel Artist in Residence Seita supervises and examines PhD projects at Goldsmiths and has secured numerous research grants, including funding from the British Academy, Arts Council England, Canada Council for the Arts, and the Early Career Research Fund Award from Goldsmiths. She is co-founder of The Hildegard von Bingen Society for Gardening Companions, an ongoing queer collaborative project with musician Naomi Woo that explores speculative archives and queer ecology through sound, performance, and publications. Her artistic practice often involves collaborative work across disciplines, particularly with The Hildegard von Bingen Society for Gardening Companions, which creates experimental pedagogical frameworks and community-based environmental projects.

• Lecture-performances
• Poetic essays
• Video essays
• +18 more