William Merrill Decker

William Merrill Decker is a Regents Professor of English at Oklahoma State University, where he has taught since 1994 in the Department of English within the College of Arts and Sciences. Holding leadership roles as former Graduate Studies Director and Department Head, he earned his BA from Denison University and PhD from the University of Iowa, establishing himself as a leading scholar in American literary studies.

His educational background includes:

• BA from Denison University
• PhD from the University of Iowa

Professor Decker specializes in American literature from colonial to contemporary periods, with groundbreaking work in Critical Race Theory, autobiographical genres, and epistolary practices. His research critically examines ethnic identities, travel narratives, and memory across historical contexts, revealing how literature shapes cultural understanding of race, migration, and personal identity through innovative interdisciplinary lenses.

His scholarly output from 2007-2021 demonstrates consistent engagement with foundational American authors like Henry Adams and Herman Melville, while pioneering connections between slave narratives, epistolary traditions, and transnational literary movements. This body of work reveals evolving methodological sophistication in analyzing how geographic displacement and racial dynamics manifest in literary form.

His distinguished recognition includes:

• OSU Regents Distinguished Research Award (2016)
• DAAD Visiting Professor at Universität Paderborn (2012)
• Fulbright Lecturer at Université Catholique de Louvain (2008-2009)
• Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society (2005)
• OSU Arts and Sciences Junior Faculty Research Award (1999)
• Modern Language Association Prize for Independent Scholars (1990)

Professor Decker's research has been substantially supported by prestigious international grants including Fulbright and DAAD appointments, enabling cross-cultural academic collaborations. As former Graduate Studies Director, he significantly shaped mentorship frameworks for emerging scholars while advancing the department's research profile through strategic program development and faculty leadership.