Kathryn Conrad
استاد · 20th-century British, Irish, and Northern Irish literature and culture
University of Kansasمعرفی
Kathryn Conrad is a Professor in the Department of English at the University of Kansas, where she also serves as Interim Director of Composition. Her work bridges literary studies, technology, and cultural critique, with a focus on modernism, surveillance, and artificial intelligence.
Her research spans:
- 20th-century British, Irish, and Northern Irish literature
- Science, technology, and culture
- Critical AI literacy and ethics
- Surveillance studies
- Fanfiction and digital culture
- Self-proclaimed 'critical possum studies'
Conrad’s scholarship consistently examines how discourse shapes material realities, particularly in politically contested spaces like Northern Ireland and in digital environments. Her recent work emphasizes the ethical implications of AI in education, advocating for critical literacy, student privacy, and human-centered pedagogy.
Her publications from 2023–2024 reveal a strong trend toward AI policy, critical digital literacy, and the ethics of automation in teaching. These works reflect her leadership in national conversations on AI in higher education, including contributions to Critical AI, NORRAG, and her Substack blog Pandora's Bot.
Her scientific and teaching honors include:
- Hall Center for the Humanities Research Fellowship (2016)
- Byron T. Shutz Award for Excellence in Teaching (2007)
- Keeler Intra-University Fellowship (2005)
- Conger-Gabel Teaching Professorship (2004–2007)
She is actively involved in educational initiatives, including co-directing the AI & Digital Literacy project with the National Humanities Center and serving on Harvard’s AI Pedagogy Project advisory board. She mentors educators through workshops and institutes, emphasizing the importance of slowing down, critical reflection, and ethical engagement with emerging technologies.
Conrad leads or participates in several research teams and projects:
- AI & Digital Literacy Project (with Sean Kamperman and National Humanities Center)
- AI & Digital Literacy Institute (funded by Hall Family Foundation and William T. Kemper Foundation)
- Founding Advisory Board, Harvard AI Pedagogy Project
- Editorial contributions to Critical AI and Transformative Works and Cultures
