Gerard Holmes

Gerard Holmes is a Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of Maryland, College Park, within the College of Arts and Humanities. His research focuses on 19th-century American literature, with a specialization in Emily Dickinson’s work and its intersections with musicology, poetics, and feminist theory. Holmes holds a PhD with a dissertation supported by the ACLS/Mellon Dissertation Completion Fellowship and has published widely on Dickinson, musical improvisation, and transatlantic studies.

His teaching portfolio includes courses such as Victorian Literature, Romantic Literature, and technical writing for professionals. Holmes actively bridges academic and public humanities through roles like serving on the Board of Directors for the Emily Dickinson International Society and co-founding the Humanities Beyond the Academy working group. He has guest-edited special journal issues, including a triple-volume on Thomas Wentworth Higginson and a themed issue on Dickinson and Music.

Key research interests include Dickinson’s engagement with musical performance practices, the role of improvisation in 19th-century art forms, and the intersection of literature with spirituality and abolitionist movements. His work frequently employs interdisciplinary methods, blending literary analysis with historical and musicological approaches.

• Awards: ACLS/Mellon Dissertation Completion Fellowship
• Recent Publications: Contributions to ESQ, Emily Dickinson Journal, and Women’s Studies
• Professional Service: Member of the Emily Dickinson International Society, MLA, and Society for the Study of American Women Writers