Cassandra Ellis

Cassandra Ellis is an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. She has taught at UAB since 1998 after completing her Ph.D. in English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, preceded by an AB from Syracuse University.

• Education:
  • AB, Syracuse University
  • Ph.D., Columbia University, English and Comparative Literature

Her research and teaching interests focus on American and African American literature, reception studies, literature and film intersections, and service-learning pedagogy. She emphasizes literature’s role in fostering empathy and reimagining identity, drawing inspiration from James Baldwin’s philosophy. Her work integrates community engagement, connecting classroom learning to real-world experiences in Birmingham.

Personal interests include beach reading, cinema, and family life with her husband (a historical preservation architect) and three daughters, alongside a dog and rabbit.