Diane Jakacki

Diane Jakacki is a Research Fellow in the Writing and Communication Program at Georgia Tech, specializing in early modern printed drama and digital humanities. She holds a PhD from the University of Waterloo, where she focused on social semiotic analysis of early modern theatre and contributed to federally-funded digital humanities projects. At Georgia Tech, she integrates digital tools into pedagogy, notably developing a digital edition of Tarlton’s Jests and exploring the touring relationship between Elizabethan clown Richard Tarlton and the Queen’s Men. She is a software consultant for imageMAT and the Records of Early English Drama.

Her research spans digital humanities methodologies, early modern performance history, and innovative teaching practices. Collaborations include presenting at the Renaissance Society of America (2012) and co-authoring work on digital image annotation. She received the CIOS Teaching Excellence Award and contributed to the Georgia Tech It Gets Better video project, addressing LGBTQ+ support on campus. She emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, blending literary analysis with technology to enhance student engagement in courses like #DigitalBard: New Media Approaches to Shakespearean Drama.

Her future work continues examining Tarlton’s legacy and advancing digital pedagogical frameworks. She is actively involved in the Communication Center’s design, fostering spaces for 21st-century communication skills.