Elizabeth Ahl

Elizabeth Ahl is a Professor and Coordinator of the Eagle Pond Authors' Series at Plymouth State University, where she has taught since 2001. Holding a PhD from the University of Nebraska and MFAs/BFAs from the University of Pittsburgh and Emerson College, her work bridges poetry with interdisciplinary explorations in mathematics, science, and the fine/performing arts. She has performed poetry with musicians, curated gallery shows pairing poets and printmakers, and written extensively on topics ranging from the U.S. space program to letterpress printing.

• Education: BFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College; MFA in Poetry from the University of Pittsburgh; PhD in English from the University of Nebraska.
• Interdisciplinary Focus: Explores intersections between poetry, systems theory, historical events (e.g., Apollo 1 fire), and creative pedagogy.

Her recent publications in journals like Passengers and Stanza Cannon reflect themes of environmental impermanence, familial bonds, and the materiality of language. She won the 2023 New Hampshire Literary Award for A Case for Solace and the 2008 Slapering Hol Press Chapbook Contest. Her creative pedagogy emphasizes physicality in writing processes, such as cut-up poem assignments and collage-based drafting.

Scientific and Literary Contributions:

• Examines the etymology of language and its cognitive implications
• Analyzes failures of imagination in technical systems (e.g., NASA's "sneak circuits")
• Advocates for libraries as "vital circulatory systems" through essays and public commentary

Professor Ahl’s practice extends to community engagement, including leaving signed copies of her books in Little Free Libraries nationwide. Her teaching philosophy integrates creative constraints as tools for innovation, demonstrated through assignments that blend physical craft with digital reflection.