Anissa Wardi

Anissa Wardi is a Professor of English at Chatham University’s College of Arts & Sciences, where she has served since 1996. She specializes in 20th-century African American literature, ecocriticism, and the works of Toni Morrison. Her research explores intersections of memory, ecology, and cultural identity.

Dr. Wardi holds a Ph.D. from Syracuse University (1999), an M.A. from Duquesne University (1993), and a B.A. from Penn State Erie (1991). She has been recognized with awards including the Buhl Professorship (2004–2005) and inclusion in Who's Who Among America's Teachers (2004, 2005).

Her publications include Water and African American Memory: An Ecocritical Perspective (2011) and articles on Morrison, August Wilson, and Arab American literature. She actively contributes to organizations like the Toni Morrison Society and the Modern Language Association.

Her research frequently addresses themes of displacement, ecological memory, and cultural resistance, evident in works like 'Loud with the presence of plants and field life' (2009) and 'Between Breath and Death: Waters of the Diaspora' (2008). Grants include the Central Research Fund (1999, 2006).