معرفی
Laura Wetherington serves as Visiting Faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno, specializing in experimental poetry and creative writing. An acclaimed poet, her work includes two full-length books—one selected for the National Poetry Series (2011) and another winning the New Measure Prize (2021)—alongside three critically recognized chapbooks. Her writing appears in major publications including Poetry, Conjunctions, and Narrative, and she contributes essays to journals like Hyperallergic and Jacket2.
Her research explores experimental literary forms, with a focus on erasure techniques, sound poetry, collaborative writing, and grief studies. Projects like "Dick Erasures" demonstrate textual manipulation, while "Grief Is the Only Thing That Flies" investigates emotional expression through avant-garde structures. Her work consistently challenges poetic conventions through chance operations, intersectionality, and hybrid forms.
Publication trends reveal an evolution from early erasure experiments (2011) toward complex explorations of trauma and identity (2018–2021), characterized by procedural methods and collaborative frameworks. These works engage with contemporary social issues while expanding experimental poetics.
Her accolades include:
- National Poetry Series selection (2011)
- New Measure Prize (2021)
- Keel Chapbook Contest (2018)
- Nevada Arts Council Literary Arts Fellowship (awarded twice)
- Sierra Arts Foundation Artist Grant (2014)
Wetherington mentors students through the Sierra Nevada Review, where she developed and taught an integrated curriculum for four years. Her editorial leadership includes co-founding the experimental journal textsound.org (decade-long co-editorship) and serving as poetry editor for Baobab Press since 2014. Funding from Nevada Arts Council Fellowships and Sierra Arts Foundation grants supports her creative and pedagogical initiatives.
She co-founded textsound.org as a vital platform for experimental poetry and sound art, while her roles with the Sierra Nevada Review and Baobab Press foster Reno's literary ecosystem through collaborative editorial practices and community engagement.
