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Michael Lucey is the Sidney and Margaret Ancker Chair and Distinguished Professor of French and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. His work bridges French literature from the 19th to 21st centuries with social theory, sexuality studies, and linguistic anthropology. He has authored the critically acclaimed What Proust Heard: Novels and the Ethnography of Talk (2022) and Thinking about Sexuality with Novels (forthcoming). As founding director of the Center for the Study of Sexual Culture , he has shaped interdisciplinary research in queer theory and gender studies. Current research focuses on novels as ethnographic tools Specializes in Proust, Balzac, Woolf, and contemporary French fiction Translation work includes Didier Eribon and Édouard Louis His recent articles explore phonetics in narrative, readability frameworks, and sociological implications of literary form. He actively engages with comparative methodologies and critical theory, while his teaching spans British and American literature’s intersections with French modernism. Lucey’s academic leadership includes directing Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Sexual Culture, which supports global discourse through fellowships and conferences. His office hours are held in Dwinelle Hall and via Zoom. Contact: mlucey@berkeley.edu

• French Literature
• Comparative Literature
• Sexuality Studies
• +7 more

Michael Mejia is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Utah, where he teaches creative writing. He is also Editor-in-Chief of Western Humanities Review and co-founding editor of Ninebark Press . Mejia is the author of the novels TOKYO and Forgetfulness , with his work appearing in journals like AGNI , DIAGRAM , and Seneca Review . His creative practice bridges fiction, nonfiction, and visual media, interrogating narrative form and socio-cultural dynamics.

• Creative Writing
• Experimental Literature
• Hybrid Writing Forms
• +5 more

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

Roland Greene is the Mark Pigott KBE Professor and Anthony P. Meier Family Professor of the Humanities at Stanford University, holding dual appointments in the Department of English and the Department of Comparative Literature. He serves as Director of the Stanford Humanities Center and co-chair of the Renaissances and Poetics Workshop research groups. Educated at Brown University (A.B., 1979) and Princeton University (Ph.D., 1985), his academic career includes prior roles at Harvard and Oregon universities. His research focuses on Renaissance literatures of England, Latin Europe, and the transatlantic world, with expertise in poetry and poetics from the Renaissance to the present. Major works include Five Words: Critical Semantics in the Age of Shakespeare and Cervantes (2013) and editing the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics (2012). Recent lectures address topics like Juan Caramuel’s Metametrica , Baroque aesthetics, and digital humanities challenges. Greene has advised over 50 Ph.D. students, many of whom hold academic positions globally. Awards include American Academy of Arts and Sciences membership and leadership roles like MLA President (2015–2016). His work engages with interdisciplinary themes such as colonial baroque, digital humanities, and global literary history.

• Poetry and Poetics
• Renaissance/Early Modern Literature
• Transatlantic Studies
• +3 more

Ato Quayson is the Jean G. and Morris M. Doyle Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Professor of English and African and African American Studies at Stanford University, where he also chairs the Department of African and African American Studies. He previously held professorships at New York University (2017–2019) and the University of Toronto (2005–2017), where he was inaugural director of the Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies and became a University Professor (2016), the university's highest honor. His academic journey includes a B.A. (First Class Honors) in English and Arabic from the University of Ghana (1989) and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Cambridge (1995). He held a Junior Research Fellowship at Wolfson College, Oxford, and was a Reader in Commonwealth and Postcolonial Literature at Cambridge (1995–2005), concurrently directing the Centre for African Studies and serving as Pembroke College Fellow. Quayson’s research explores postcolonial literature, urban studies, disability studies, and cultural theory. His work bridges global and local contexts, with notable publications such as Oxford Street, Accra (Urban History Association Prize) and Tragedy and Postcolonial Literature (Warren-Brooks Prize). He co-edits the Cambridge History of Postcolonial Literature and chairs initiatives like Contours: The Cambridge Literary Studies Hour . His accolades include fellowships from the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (2006), the Royal Society of Canada (2013), the British Academy (2019), and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2023). He has also served as President of the African Studies Association (2019–2020). Quayson curates the YouTube channel Critic.Reading.Writing , discussing literature and urban studies, and teaches courses on global Black diaspora studies and Toni Morrison’s work. His current projects include Accra Chic: A Locational History of Fashion and studies on exile in African literature.

• African Literature
• Postcolonial Literature
• Shakespeare Studies
• +10 more

Dr. Jason Ney is an Associate Professor of English and the Director of the Writing Center at Colorado Christian University, where he has been a faculty member since 2013. He is affiliated with the College of Undergraduate Studies and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, teaching courses in American Literature, Creative Writing, and Literary Criticism and Theory. Ph.D., English - Literary Studies, University of Denver M.A., English and Comparative Literature, University of Cincinnati B.A., English, Cedarville University Dr. Ney's research spans creative nonfiction and film criticism, with a strong focus on ethical issues in narrative truth and memory. He is a noted scholar of film noir and cinematic adaptations of American literature, particularly works like The Great Gatsby and The Scarlet Letter . His academic interests include semiotics, literary theory, and the intersection of faith and storytelling. His recent publications reflect a deep engagement with noir cinema, mid-century Hollywood, and the psychological dimensions of identity in film. He has contributed audio commentaries and critical essays to numerous Blu-ray and DVD releases, and his creative nonfiction has appeared in respected anthologies and journals. His work often explores moral ambiguity, personal transformation, and cultural memory. Dr. Ney is actively involved in academic and public scholarship, presenting at conferences and co-running CCU’s annual film series. He mentors students in creative writing, many of whom have achieved publication. While no formal scientific awards are listed, his sustained contributions to film and literary criticism demonstrate significant scholarly impact. He also contributes to the Augustine Honors Program and has delivered presentations on writing center pedagogy and graduate education. His leadership in the Writing Center reflects a commitment to student development across disciplines.

• Creative Nonfiction
• American Literature
• Literary Criticism and Theory
• +7 more

Olivia Bell is a Graduate Student and Pre-doctoral Instructor in the Department of English at the University of Washington, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences. She holds a B.A. in Global History and Creative Writing from Whitman College (2023). Her research interests span Creative Writing, Feminism and Feminist Theory, Gender Genealogy, History, Literature and Religion, Novel/Prose Fiction, Science Fiction, and Women Writers. She teaches courses in the English department and maintains office hours Mondays 2-3 PM and Wednesdays 12-1 PM in Padelford B25. Her academic work bridges literary analysis with interdisciplinary themes such as gender studies and historical narratives. While no specific awards or publications are listed, her teaching role suggests active engagement in pedagogical innovation within creative writing and literature.

• Creative Writing
• Feminism and Feminist Theory
• Gender Genealogy
• +5 more

Stephanie Harzewski is a Principal Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of New Hampshire's College of Liberal Arts. She specializes in contemporary British and American literature, female sexuality studies, and popular culture analysis. Her research explores postfeminist literature, media representations of women, and narrative forms in women's prose. Harzewski has pioneered online education initiatives at UNH, including piloting eUNH software and advising on pedagogical frameworks. Educated at Vassar College (B.A. English and B.A./C.A.S. Women's Studies) and the University of Pennsylvania (Ph.D. English with a graduate certificate in women's studies), her academic career includes significant grants from the Kosciuszko Foundation and AAUW. Her award-winning 2011 monograph Chick Lit and Postfeminism remains a landmark study in women's literary criticism. Her publications span peer-reviewed journals like Contemporary Women’s Writing and Iowa Journal of Cultural Studies , with notable works analyzing authors like Penelope Fitzgerald and Jeanette Winterson. Recognized with UNH's COLA Teaching Excellence Award (2016), she teaches courses ranging from first-year writing to advanced topics in dystopian literature and women's studies. Harzewski has served as a grant reviewer for AAUW and a judge for Blackboard's Exemplary Course competition, demonstrating her dual commitment to academic rigor and pedagogical innovation.

• Contemporary literature
• Female sexuality studies
• Popular culture analysis
• +4 more

Darcie Dennigan is Associate Professor In Residence in the Department of English at the University of Connecticut, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She holds an MFA in Poetry from the University of Michigan (2002) and a BA in English from University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1998). Her creative practice spans poetry, experimental fiction, and performance texts, with specializations in nature writing, absurdist traditions, and hybrid literary forms. She has received numerous awards including the Howard Foundation Fellowship and Poetry Society of America prizes. Her performance collaborations include works with Wilbury Theatre Group and composer Jason Thorpe Buchanan, exploring themes through innovative theatrical forms and operatic adaptations.

• Poetry
• Experimental Fiction
• Writing for Performance
• +3 more

Stefanie Markovits is a Professor of English and Director of Undergraduate Studies at Yale University. She holds a Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from Yale (2001), an M.Phil. in English Romantic Studies from Oxford (1996), and a B.A. in English and Philosophy from Yale (1994, summa cum laude). Her research focuses on 19th-century British literature, including Romantic and Victorian poetry and novels, German classical literature (e.g., Goethe and Schiller), aesthetic theory, war literature, and genre theory. She explores intersections between formal innovation and socio-political contexts, such as the impact of the Crimean War on Victorian poetry. Her publications include The Number-Sense of Nineteenth-Century British Fiction (2025), The Victorian Verse-Novel (2017), and The Crimean War in the British Imagination (2009). Recent articles analyze themes like numerical symbolism in literature and the evolution of the verse-novel genre. She teaches undergraduate courses on literary analysis, Romantic and Victorian novels, and Jane Austen, as well as graduate seminars on Dickens and Eliot.

• 19th-Century English Literature
• German Classical Literature
• Aesthetic Theory
• +4 more

Helen Morales is the Argyropoulos Professor of Hellenic Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and has taught at institutions including the University of Reading, Arizona State University, and the University of Cambridge. Her research bridges classical antiquity with contemporary issues, focusing on mythology, gender studies, and cultural criticism. She serves as editor of Ramus: Critical Studies in Greek and Roman Literature and is an affiliate of the Feminist Studies Department. Education: PhD in Classics, University of Cambridge. Research Interests: Ancient novels, Greek imperial poetry, sexual ethics, pilgrimage, and the intersection of classical texts with modern themes like race, feminism, and law. Her work emphasizes reclaiming classical myths to challenge patriarchal norms and inspire social justice. Awards & Roles: Fellow of Newnham College (Cambridge), Fellow at the Center for Hellenic Studies (2011 Gail A. Burnett Lecturer), and editor of Eidolon . Current projects include the 2022 Martin Lectures on imperial fiction and sexual politics. Publications: Books include Antigone Rising (2020), Pilgrimage to Dollywood (2014), and edited volumes like New Essays on Homer (2015). Recent articles explore violence in myth, gender dynamics in ancient texts, and the subversive power of classical narratives.

• Classical Studies
• Mythology
• Literary Criticism
• +4 more

Paul Grimstad is a Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Humanities Program at Yale University. His work focuses on literary criticism, experimental writing, and 19th- and 20th-century authors. He has contributed to prestigious journals like The London Review of Books , analyzing figures such as H.P. Lovecraft, Raymond Roussel, and Flaubert. His research explores themes like literary constraints (Oulipo), avant-garde movements, and narrative innovation. Grimstad authored Experience and Experimental Writing: Literary Pragmatism from Emerson to the Jameses and is under contract for a new book on polymathy. He received the Sarai Ribicoff teaching prize for innovative instruction and has taught at NYU, Columbia, and Yale. His articles blend rigorous analysis with accessibility, examining works ranging from Lovecraft’s horror to Flaubert’s stylistic techniques. Grimstad’s writing often bridges literary theory and cultural critique, emphasizing the interplay between form and content.

• Literary Criticism
• 19th-Century Literature
• Experimental Writing
• +3 more

Paul Michael Johnson is an Associate Research Professor of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Johns Hopkins University's Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. He holds a PhD from the University of California, Irvine, and specializes in the cultural history of early modern Spain through interdisciplinary frameworks including emotion studies, sensory history, and performance theory. His research examines representations of the body, emotions, and cultural encounters in Spanish literary texts, particularly the works of Cervantes. Current projects investigate how soundscapes and voice mediate imperial violence in Mediterranean contexts, the transcultural adaptations of Spanish classics, and theoretical developments in Iberian studies. Publications demonstrate expertise in Cervantes scholarship while engaging critically with contemporary debates on race, gender, and translation. Recent works explore the aural dimensions of imperial power, back-translation practices in global contexts, and the religious dimensions of Cervantes' late romance. Dr. Johnson serves on the editorial board of LSU Press's New Hispanisms series and the advisory board of the Ibero-American Society for the History of Emotions. He has previously served on the executive council of the Cervantes Society of America.

• Early Modern Spanish Literature
• History of Emotions
• Sensory Studies
• +2 more

Patrick Whitmarsh is a Visiting Assistant Professor of English at the College of the Holy Cross. He holds a Ph.D. from Boston University and specializes in 20th- and 21st-century American literature, narrative prose, environmental humanities, ecocriticism, and Anthropocene and extinction studies. His research examines intersections between literature, environmental history, and planetary crises, particularly focusing on vertical spatial descriptions in fiction that reflect scientific perspectives post-World War II. Whitmarsh’s first book, *Writing Our Extinction: Anthropocene Fiction and Vertical Science* (Stanford UP, 2023), analyzes how post-1960 novels depict vertical spaces (e.g., outer space, boreholes) to reflect emerging scientific paradigms and planetary crises. He is currently working on a second book project titled *Planetary Alienation: Materialism and Environmentalism in Crisis Culture from 2008 to the Present*, exploring class politics and environmental concerns in contemporary literature and cinema. Recent articles include studies on ecohorror in cinema, post-apocalyptic narratives in TV series, and layered ecologies in Karen Russell’s *Swamplandia!* His work bridges literary analysis, environmental science, and speculative fiction, emphasizing the Anthropocene’s spatial and temporal dimensions. Whitmarsh teaches courses such as *Introduction to Literary Study*, *American Realism*, and *Modern American Novel*. His scholarship has been featured in venues like *Contemporary Literature* and *Modern Fiction Studies*, and he contributes to interdisciplinary dialogues on environmental humanities and cultural responses to climate change.

• American Literature (20th-21st century)
• Narrative Prose
• Environmental Humanities
• +3 more

Jorge Camacho is Professor of Spanish, Comparative Literature, and Latin American Studies at the University of South Carolina. He directs programs in Spanish, Comparative Literature, and Latin American Studies, and has published 14 scholarly books including critical editions and monographs on colonial Cuban literature. His research focuses on colonial literature, Latin American poetry, Cuban narratives, and cultural representations of race. He received the Russell Research Award for Humanities and Social Sciences in 2014. He has recovered and published over 80 previously unknown chronicles and poems by José Martí, Rubén Darío, and Mercedes Matamoros from historical archives.

• Colonial Literature
• Latin American Poetry
• Cuban Literature
• +1 more