Sean Silver

Sean Silver is an Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies at Rutgers University. His research focuses on the intersection of literature, material culture, and cognitive studies, with a specialization in eighteenth-century British and European literature. He leads courses in literature, museum studies, and digital humanities, emphasizing hands-on 'critical making' practices such as letterpress printing and artisanal craft.

Education: Ph.D. in English Literature from UCLA (2008), B.A. in Literature from Claremont McKenna College (1994). Prior to academia, he worked as a furniture maker ('joiner').

Key research projects include The Mind Is a Collection (a digital museum exploring cognitive models) and The Motley Emblem (a study of global trade and craft history via Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy). His work bridges literary analysis with material and global histories, often involving interdisciplinary collaborations.

Publications span studies on eighteenth-century literature, cognitive models, and material culture, with recent work exploring computational criticism and digital humanities methodologies. Awards include the Oscar Kenshur Prize (2016) and a shortlist for the BSLS Book Prize (2016).

Teaching and advising emphasize hands-on learning through projects like the letterpress studio. Current initiatives include reconstructing historical paper-making techniques to explore global maritime empires' impact on artisanal practices.