Mara Reisman

Mara Reisman serves as Professor in the Department of English at Northern Arizona University, where her academic profile centers on the critical intersection of literary studies and scientific thought, particularly examining Victorian-era scientific paradigms through contemporary literary frameworks.

Her research specializes in Victorian Literature, Grotesque in Literature, and Science and Literature with focused investigations into Charles Darwin's legacy, natural selection narratives, and human-animal boundary constructions. She analyzes how scientific concepts permeate literary representations of social hierarchies and transformative natural spaces, frequently employing the grotesque as a critical lens for exploring identity and societal structures.

Current scholarly output demonstrates consistent engagement with scientific narratives in fiction, exemplified by her 2025 analysis of Patrick McGrath's work which connects Darwinian evolutionary frameworks to grotesque spatial representations in modern literature. This research trajectory reveals ongoing exploration of how 19th-century scientific discourse continues to shape contemporary literary imaginaries regarding nature, class, and embodiment.

No scientific awards were documented in the available information.

Details regarding graduate student mentorship or external research funding remain unspecified in the provided materials.

There is no mention of laboratory affiliations, research collectives, or collaborative teams in the current academic profile.