Kathleen Fitzpatrick

Kathleen Fitzpatrick is the University Distinguished Professor of English and Digital Humanities at Michigan State University (MSU), serving as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Arts & Letters. She leads initiatives such as Knowledge Commons, an open-access platform for humanities scholars, and previously directed DH@MSU and the Mesh Research lab. Her work focuses on transforming scholarly communication through collaboration, open access, and institutional reform.

Her academic career spans appointments at Pomona College (1998–2017) and leadership roles at the Modern Language Association (MLA), where she co-authored the MLA Handbook (8th ed.). Fitzpatrick’s research emphasizes community-building in academia and the future of publishing, reflected in her books Generous Thinking (2019), Planned Obsolescence (2011), and The Anxiety of Obsolescence (2006). She holds grants from NEH, Mellon Foundation, and NSF, supporting projects like the DBER+ Commons and Humanities Commons expansion.

Fitzpatrick’s Leading Generously (2024) outlines strategies for institutional change through ethical leadership. Her teaching includes courses on academic writing genres and digital humanities pedagogy. She serves on boards of the Educopia Institute and Association for Computers and the Humanities, advocating for equitable scholarly practices worldwide.

• Awards: University Distinguished Professor (MSU)
• Grants: NEH ($500K+), Mellon ($971K), NSF ($646K)
• Labs: Knowledge Commons, Mesh Research