Amy Propen

Amy Propen serves as an Assistant Professor in the Writing Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is also a faculty affiliate of the Center for Information Technology and Society and participates in the Interdepartmental PhD Emphasis in Environment & Society, housed within the Department of Environmental Studies. Her academic appointments reflect her interdisciplinary approach that bridges writing studies, environmental humanities, and technology studies.

Propen earned her educational credentials from prestigious institutions: a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication from the University of Minnesota, an M.A. in Technical and Professional Writing from Northeastern University, and a B.S. in Geography from Clark University. These diverse academic foundations underpin her interdisciplinary research approach that connects rhetorical theory with environmental and technological concerns.

Her research spans visual and material rhetorics, environmental and sustainability rhetorics, digital and posthuman rhetorics, and the application of rhetorical theory to advocacy work. Propen is particularly interested in how multimodal technologies intersect with posthuman theory and environmental conservation efforts, especially regarding marine species. Her work examines the rhetorical dimensions of conservation practices, wildlife corridors, and human-animal relations through the lens of contemporary rhetorical theory.

Propen's publications reveal a clear trajectory from examining spatial and visual rhetoric (as seen in her 2012 work on maps and GPS) toward increasingly focused explorations of posthuman conservation in the Anthropocene era. Her recent books demonstrate growing specialization in environmental rhetoric while maintaining connections to her foundational work in technical communication and advocacy. The 2024 publication on wildlife corridors represents the culmination of her interdisciplinary approach, bringing together conservation science, compassionate ethics, and rhetorical analysis.

She teaches courses including Writing About Sustainability, Multimedia Writing, and the Seminar in Document Design and Production, connecting her research interests directly to her pedagogical practice. Her academic work bridges theoretical rhetorical scholarship with practical applications in environmental advocacy and conservation communication.