Rick Barot

Rick Barot is a faculty member in the Department of English within the School of Humanities at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), where he teaches poetry and directs the Rainier Writing Workshop, a low-residency MFA program. He is widely recognized as a brilliant teacher, scholar, and colleague across campus.

His research and creative work center on contemporary poetry and literary arts, with a strong emphasis on personal and cultural identity, form, and lyrical expression. His writing bridges scholarly depth with artistic innovation, contributing significantly to American literary discourse.

Rick Barot has received numerous prestigious honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and multiple awards for his poetry collection Chord, such as the PEN/Open Book Award, the Publishing Triangle’s Thom Gunn Prize, and the 2016 Rilke Prize. He was also a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

He has advised numerous students through the Rainier Writing Workshop and has likely mentored emerging poets at the graduate level. While specific grants are not listed, the Guggenheim Fellowship represents significant competitive funding supporting his creative research.

He leads the Rainier Writing Workshop, a prominent low-residency MFA program at PLU, which serves as a creative and academic hub for writers across the country.