Heather I. Sullivan

Dr. Heather I. Sullivan is Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures, Comparative Literature, Environmental Studies, German, and German Studies at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Her interdisciplinary work bridges literary studies with environmental science, focusing on how international perspectives illuminate the relationship between nature and culture. She teaches courses in German, German Studies in English, Comparative Literature, and First Year Seminars through the GNED program.

• Ph.D. in Comparative Literature, University of Washington
• M.A. in Comparative Literature, University of Washington
• B.A. in Biology, University of Puget Sound

Professor Sullivan's research centers on ecocriticism, particularly the 'dark green' theoretical framework she has developed to analyze plant-human relationships in the Anthropocene. Her work explores material ecocriticism, Goethe studies, and the 'dark pastoral' trope as responses to environmental crisis. She examines how literature engages with ecological issues across historical periods and national contexts, with special attention to German literature and the environmental humanities. Her interdisciplinary approach connects literary analysis with scientific understanding of ecological systems.

Analysis of Sullivan's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on plant studies within the Anthropocene framework. Her work increasingly examines vegetal agency, plant blindness, and the 'dark green' as theoretical constructs for understanding human-plant relations. There's a clear trajectory from traditional ecocriticism toward material ecocriticism and posthumanist approaches that challenge anthropocentrism. Her scholarship demonstrates how literary texts can illuminate scientific concepts while simultaneously revealing the cultural dimensions of environmental crises.

• Annual Goethe Society of North America Essay Prize (2016) for 'Nature and the 'Dark Pastoral' in Goethe's Werther'
• Z.T. Scott Fellowship at Trinity University for outstanding teaching and advising (2016-17)

Professor Sullivan actively mentors undergraduate researchers, most recently through a Mellon Grant supporting summer research with Abbi Davidnova on 'Ecofeminism and Plant-Human kinship.' She collaborates on significant funding initiatives, including co-authoring an $800,000 Mellon Grant for Undergraduate Research in the Arts and Humanities at Trinity. Her service includes chairing the ad-hoc Translation Committee for ASLE (Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment), serving on the Advisory Board of Ecozon@ journal, and participating in international research networks including the Trans-Atlantic Research Network in the Environmental Humanities and an International Research Group in Torino, Italy.

While not affiliated with a specific laboratory, Sullivan participates in multiple collaborative research networks focused on environmental humanities. She serves as Director at Large for the North American Goethe Society and contributes to international research projects such as the 'Relics of Nature: Natural Heritage in a Shifting World' initiative funded by the Arctic University of Norway with 24 million NOK (~$2,800,000).