معرفی
Dr. Kali Jo Wacker is an Assistant Professor of English at Northwestern College. She holds a Ph.D. in rhetoric and composition from the University of Kansas, alongside a Museum Studies Graduate Certificate. Her research focuses on intersections of writing, design, digital media, and material/popular culture. She has taught courses in writing, communications, and art, emphasizing multimodal composition and technology integration.
Education:
- Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition, University of Kansas
- Museum Studies Graduate Certificate, University of Kansas
- B.A. in Journalism and Graphic Design, Northwestern College (2016)
Research Interests: Dr. Wacker explores how digital tools and material practices shape communication. Her work spans museum technologies, Disney studies, emoji linguistics, and student autonomy in creative projects. She uses virtual reality, fairy tale adaptations, and social media to innovate teaching methods.
Key Publications & Presentations: Recent work includes analyzing Disney's urban narratives, emoji semiotics, and VR-based storytelling. Her 2025 paper on 3D storytelling in virtual reality exemplifies her focus on cutting-edge educational technologies.
Awards:
- 2023 Peter Collins Travel Grant
- 2022 Argersinger Dissertation Award Finalist
- Multiple teaching awards from the University of Kansas (2018-2021)
Professional Experience: Prior to Northwestern, she served as a Communications & Design Fellow at the University of Kansas' Center for Teaching Excellence (2017–2021). Her grants include the Selden L. Whitcomb Fellowship and Stephen F. Evans Award for course development.
