Kelly Sultzbach

Kelly Sultzbach is a Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where she also serves as Director of Sustainability & Environmental Studies. Her work bridges literary analysis with environmental and social justice concerns through interdisciplinary approaches.

Education:

• Ph.D. in 20th Century British & American Literature (University of Oregon)
• J.D. from UC Davis School of Law
• B.A. in English from Yale University

Research Focus: Sultzbach’s scholarship explores intersections between literature and environmental studies, including modernist texts, climate narratives, law & literature, and ecocritical theory. She emphasizes how literature can inform collective responses to environmental crises and social justice issues.

Awards:

• Recipient of the inaugural Prairie Springs Environmental Leadership Award (faculty category)
• Fulbright Scholar (University of Liverpool, 2019)

Teaching & Engagement: She designs courses like 'Literature & the Human Experience' and 'Environmental Literature,' integrating critical thinking about place, identity, and ecological ethics. Her Jail Literacy Program received state recognition. She actively involves students in community-based environmental projects.

Recent Work: Her book Ecocriticism in the Modernist Imagination (2016) and co-edited Cambridge Companion to Literature & Climate (2022) reflect her commitment to rethinking literature’s role in addressing planetary challenges.