Lisa L. Moore

Lisa L. Moore is the Archibald A. Hill Regents Professor of American and English Literature and Chair of the Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. She holds a Distinguished Service Professor title and has been a faculty member since 1991. Her work bridges literary criticism and creative writing, with a focus on LGBTQ studies, feminist theory, and eighteenth-century literature.

Dr. Moore earned her B.A. in English with honors from Queen's University in 1986 and completed her Ph.D. at Cornell University in 1991. Her academic journey has centered on exploring the intersections of literature, gender, and sexuality across historical periods.

Moore's research spans multiple interconnected fields including eighteenth-century English and American literature, women's literature, and LGBT literature and culture. She has made significant contributions to feminist and queer theory, visual studies, garden history, and the history of sexuality. Her work often examines how literary forms like poetry and the sonnet express and shape understandings of gender and sexuality. She has particular expertise in lesbian literary history and the representation of women's relationships in literary and visual culture.

Her scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on recovering women's literary contributions, particularly those related to lesbian experiences. Moore's work demonstrates how literary forms have been used to express same-sex desire throughout history, evolving from historical literary analysis toward contemporary applications of queer theory in understanding spatial relationships and digital culture.

• Lambda Literary Award for Sister Arts: The Erotics of Lesbian Landscapes
• Choice Outstanding Academic Book Award for Transatlantic Feminisms in the Age of Revolutions
• Named 'One of Ten Americans Who Changed the Gun Debate This Year' by The Trace (2015)
• Finalist for the Publishing Triangle Judy Grahn Award

As an educator and department chair, Moore has mentored numerous students in literature, gender studies, and creative writing. She served as Director of the LGBTQ Studies Program from 2019-2023 and has been instrumental in developing LGBTQ studies curriculum. Moore co-founded the Pride and Equity Faculty-Staff Association and Gun-Free UT, bringing legal action against concealed weapons in classrooms (Glass v. Paxton). Her scholarly work has been supported by academic grants enabling archival research and collaborative projects.

Moore contributes to academic communities through editorial work on literary journals and digital humanities projects focused on women's history. Her collaborative work with scholars of color demonstrates commitment to building interdisciplinary networks that bridge academic research with social justice work.