معرفی
Elena Past is a Professor of Italian at Wayne State University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, affiliated with the Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures. She holds a Ph.D. (2005), M.A. (2000), and B.A. (1998) from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Texas at Austin.
Her research focuses on contemporary Italian literature and cinema, ecomedia studies, environmental humanities, posthumanism, animal studies, and Italian crime fiction. Current projects include studies on Ferrania Film and the environmental implications of analog film production. Past has been recognized with prestigious awards such as the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award (2021–22), the American Academy in Rome's Rome Prize (2021–22), and the MLA Marraro Prize (2020).
Her publications include Italian Ecocinema Beyond the Human (2019) and edited volumes like Italy and the Environmental Humanities (2018). Recent articles explore petroculture, cinematic resistance in Basilicata, and environmental justice in Italian cinema. Past also collaborates with the Abruzzo Film Commission, mentoring students in translation and cultural preservation projects.
- Education: Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania (2005); M.A., University of Pennsylvania (2000); B.A., University of Texas at Austin (1998)
- Awards: Fulbright Scholar, Rome Prize, Marraro Prize, Board of Governors Recognition
- Labs/Initiatives: Translation Lab (focused on Abruzzo cultural materials), Wayne State Study Abroad in Abruzzo
