Karen Schramm

Karen Schramm serves as Professor in the Department of English at Delaware Valley University, where she has taught 23 distinct courses since joining this teaching-focused institution. Her academic journey spans appointments at Rutgers University, the University of Delaware, Rowan University, and community colleges, with her current role emphasizing innovative pedagogy and environmental advocacy. As a Partner in Conservation with the World Wildlife Fund, she actively supports global wilderness protection initiatives across the Amazon and American Prairie.

Education:

• Ph.D. in English (American Literature), University of Delaware
• M.A. in English, Rutgers University
• B.A. in English, Rutgers University

Dr. Schramm's research centers on environmental literature's role in American cultural identity, particularly examining wilderness narratives from the American Renaissance period. Her scholarship bridges literary analysis with conservation ethics through courses like Environmental Literature and Introduction to Literature: Creature Comforts, which explores animal representations in fiction and creative non-fiction. This interdisciplinary approach extends to her personal commitment to nature, demonstrated by her lifelong documentation of cicada emergences since childhood.

Her 30+ publications reveal consistent thematic evolution from early pedagogical innovations to current environmental scholarship, featuring definitive contributions in Oxford and Cambridge University Press volumes. While haiku poetry reflects her nature-focused aesthetic, her academic work demonstrates sophisticated analysis of wilderness discourse in American literature and practical applications in educational technology. The publications collectively showcase her dual commitment to advancing literary scholarship and transforming classroom practice through creative methodology.

Scientific Awards:

• $300 award for best article in Teaching for Success (1997)

Dr. Schramm has mentored student writers through 15 consecutive years (1998-2013) as advisor and copy-editor for The Gleaner, the university's literary magazine, while developing innovative teaching methodologies like the 'Angered Porcupine' approach. Her scholarly productivity includes six biographical entries for the American National Biography and multiple book chapters addressing technology integration in education, though specific research grants aren't documented in available materials. Her conservation partnership with WWF represents significant professional engagement beyond traditional academic boundaries.

No dedicated research laboratories or formal research teams are referenced in her professional documentation, with scholarly activities primarily conducted through individual publication and institutional teaching roles.