Nate Brown is a Senior Lecturer and Associate Director of the Writing Center at the University Writing Program (UWP) of Johns Hopkins University (JHU). He joined JHU in 2022 after teaching fiction and creative nonfiction in the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins for five years. Education: B.A. from Cornell University, MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin Affiliations: Managing Editor at American Short Fiction , Board Member of Writers in Baltimore Schools His research and teaching intersect with contemporary American publishing, focusing on equity and access, community-based writing initiatives, and the interplay of written and visual rhetoric. He has taught composition and creative writing at institutions including the University of Iowa's International Writing Program, Stevenson University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University. Professionally, he has experience in literary publishing, having worked at Random House and currently at American Short Fiction . He also contributes to arts education through his board membership with Writers in Baltimore Schools, supporting student writers in Baltimore City.
Sebastian Coxon is a Professor of Medieval German Literature at the School of European Languages, Cultures, and Societies, University College London. His research focuses on pre-modern narrative literature, short religious narratives of the later Middle Ages, laughter and humor in courtly and urban culture, and Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival. He is currently working on two monographs: one on medieval European heroic epic ('Heroic Hair') and a comparative study of pre-modern European and Chinese literature. Education : Doctor of Philosophy (University of Oxford, 1998), Master of Arts (University of Oxford, 1998), RSA Certificate for Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Regent School of Languages, 1993), Bachelor of Arts (University of Oxford, 1991) Research Interests : Coxon's work bridges literary analysis with cultural history, examining how humor functions in medieval Germanic texts. His projects explore the intersection of narrative form, gender dynamics, and cross-cultural comparisons, with a specific focus on the symbolic roles of beards and laughter in constructing identity and social norms. Teaching : He teaches courses on medieval and premodern literature, covering topics from love songs and Arthurian romance to heroic epic and bawdy short stories, as well as modern German literature and translation studies. Professional Activities : Coxon has delivered guest lectures at the University of Birmingham, contributing to academic discourse on medieval themes.
Hilton Als is an acclaimed American writer, critic, and associate professor of writing at Columbia University's School of the Arts. As a staff writer and theater critic for The New Yorker magazine, he has established himself as a significant voice in contemporary literary and cultural criticism. His work spans multiple domains including literary criticism, art criticism, African American studies, and creative writing, with a particular focus on the intersections of race, gender, and identity. Als' research interests center on the complexities of identity representation in American culture. His work explores The fluid boundaries between fiction and non-fiction Racial and gender representation in visual and literary arts The evolution of the essay form as a vehicle for complex identity exploration The cultural significance of figures like Alice Neel, James Baldwin, and Frederick Douglass The relationship between personal narrative and collective experience His writing emphasizes what he calls 'the delicacy of complication'—recognizing the multifaceted nature of human experience rather than simplistic categorizations. His major publications reveal a consistent engagement with themes of representation and identity. Works like White Girls (2014) and Alice Neel, Uptown (2017) demonstrate his ability to bridge literary and visual cultures while exploring complex questions of race and gender. His writing process reflects his belief that 'I don't really understand what I've said until I've written it,' emphasizing writing as a method of discovery rather than mere expression of pre-formed ideas. Als' recognition includes: Pulitzer Prize for Criticism (2017) National Book Critics Circle Award finalist (2014) Pulitzer Prize in Criticism finalist (2016) These accolades reflect the significance of his contributions to American letters and cultural criticism. As an educator, Als teaches the course 'Black Male' at Columbia University, bringing together students from diverse disciplines to explore the black male figure through literary and visual perspectives. He believes in the importance of 'cultural diversity in the class' and values how 'visual people often tend to actually read more or have a different perspective on reading.' His teaching philosophy emphasizes the interconnectedness of different artistic disciplines and the value of multiple perspectives in understanding complex cultural phenomena. Als' curatorial work, particularly the 'Alice Neel, Uptown' exhibition, extends his critical practice into the visual realm, demonstrating his commitment to interdisciplinary approaches to cultural analysis. His work across writing, teaching, and curating reflects a unified vision of cultural criticism as a practice of 'honoring the copyrights people have on their lives' while revealing deeper truths about the human condition.
Giuseppe Gavazza is a Professor of Composition at the Conservatory of Music in Cuneo, where he has taught since 1985. He is also affiliated with the CRESSON research team within the AAU Laboratory, a joint research unit of CNRS, UGA, ENSA Nantes, ENSA Grenoble, and Centrale Nantes. His academic background includes studies at the Milan Conservatory with Paolo Castaldi and Azio Corghi, and a 2018 doctorate from ACROE-ICA Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble on physical model synthesis for musical composition. Professor Gavazza's research spans composition, electronic music, sound design, and physical model synthesis. His work explores the intersection of artistic creativity and scientific methodology, with particular focus on sound installations, field recording practices (especially soundwalks), and urban soundscapes. He actively contributes to Art Science Technology (AST) research through the EASTN-DC network. His recent publications reveal a strong interest in pandemic-era soundscapes, urban acoustics, and creating sound art for vulnerable populations. Projects like 'B-AIR Art Infinity Radio' demonstrate his commitment to accessible sound experiences, while works like 'Frozen dreams: luminous voices in the night' showcase his innovative approach to nocturnal soundscapes and vocal sound design. Notable contributions include: Development of sound installations like 'A moment: Music for a fountain' (8-channel audio) Creation of personal sound archives for musical composition Contributions to geolocated sound websites like cartophonies.fr Written contributions to lcv.hypotheses.org, theartsection.com, and terpress.com Professor Gavazza maintains an active creative practice with numerous compositions spanning acoustic and electronic concert music, electronic performances, and site-specific installations. His work often involves collaborations with visual artists, architects, filmmakers, and choreographers, reflecting his belief in interdisciplinary artistic exploration.
Prof. Scott Thurston is a Professor at the University of Salford's School of Arts, Media and Creative Technologies, where he founded the English and Creative Writing degree programs and established the English Research Centre. His interdisciplinary work bridges poetry, dance, and mental health therapies, notably through his development of kinepoetics and co-founding of the Arts for the Blues psychotherapy model. His research explores: Contemporary innovative poetry/poetics Embodied movement practices Arts-based therapeutic interventions for depression Digital adaptations of creative therapies Thurston has secured research grants for projects scaling creative mental health initiatives across Northwest England, including collaborations with NHS services. Honors include being named a Fellow of the English Association . He contributes clinically as a volunteer person-centered counselor at Salford's Counselling Centre. He leads the English Research Centre and co-edits the Journal of British and Irish Innovative Poetry . His lab focuses on interdisciplinary intersections between literary arts, performance, and health humanities.
Ted Hearne is a composer, singer, and bandleader who serves on the composition faculty at the University of Southern California. Praised by The New York Times for his 'tough edge and wildness of spirit,' and 'topical, politically sharp-edged works,' Hearne creates music inspired by the overlay of different viewpoints and their sonic possibilities. His compositions are personal, multi-dimensional works that often explore unconventional interactions of text and music, rooted in a sense of inquiry. Hearne's research interests center on politically engaged contemporary composition that blends multiple genres including jazz, pop, soul, gospel, electronica, and contemporary classical. His work frequently addresses social justice issues, American political history, and the intersection of text and music. Pitchfork called Hearne's work 'some of the most expressive socially engaged music in recent memory -- from any genre,' and Alex Ross wrote in The New Yorker that Hearne's music 'holds up as a complex mirror image of an information-saturated, mass-surveillance world, and remains staggering in its impact.' Hearne's major works include 'Sound From the Bench' (2018 Pulitzer Prize finalist), 'Place' (2021 Pulitzer Prize finalist and Grammy-nominated), and his upcoming recording 'Farming' with The Crossing. His compositions often take the form of multimedia theatrical pieces, operas, and choral works that examine themes of gentrification, corporate personhood, and American history. 2018 Pulitzer Prize finalist (for 'Sound From the Bench') 2021 Pulitzer Prize finalist (for 'Place') 2021 Grammy Award nominee (two categories for 'Place') 2014 New Voices Residency from Boosey and Hawkes Hearne's advising and collaborative work spans numerous institutions and artists. He has been commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Royal Ballet and Opera, and New World Symphony. His collaborators include Erykah Badu, Pam Tanowitz, Taylor Mac, Damon Davis, and Daniel Fish, while his works have been conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, John Adams, and Gustavo Dudamel. Currently, Hearne is working on a new operatic adaptation of Ursula K. Le Guin's 'The Dispossessed' scheduled to premiere in 2027. Hearne leads Unsettlement Music, a fluid ensemble of instrumentalists, vocalists, electronic musicians, and improvisers that tours with him and performs many of his large-scale works. This ensemble allows him to realize his complex, genre-blending compositions that require performers comfortable with both written and improvised elements across multiple musical traditions.
Dr. Arnas Anskaitis is an artist-researcher affiliated with the Vilnius Academy of Arts, where he teaches courses such as Visual Expression , Media Definition and Technologies 2 , and Photography Basics . His work explores the intersection of reading, writing, and artistic expression through installations, performances, and media-based works. Focuses on the visual, spatial, and temporal dimensions of written text Engages with interdisciplinary practices connecting photography, video, and performance Investigates perception of space/time in media and its translation to artistic formats
Rachel Michelle Gunter is a public historian and professor of History at a community college in North Texas. She earned her Ph.D. in American history from Texas A&M University in 2017 and has established herself as a prominent voice connecting historical voting rights struggles to contemporary political issues. Her research focuses on the woman suffrage movement in the United States from 1917 to 1923, with particular attention to how suffrage victories affected voting rights for resident noncitizens, immigrants, servicemen, veterans, Mexican Americans, and Black Americans. She also examines changes to voting systems including absentee balloting expansion during WWI and poll tax modifications in southern states, as well as the movement for married women's independent citizenship. Dr. Gunter has developed a significant public history presence through multiple channels: she produces historical content on TikTok as @PhDRachel; she's a regular participant in Historians at the Movies (#HATM); she contributed to 'Forgotten America: Rediscovering Events that Changed the Nation' with The Great Courses; and she has written op-eds for Time Magazine and The Washington Post. Her work consistently demonstrates how historical understanding can inform contemporary debates about citizenship and voting rights. Her publication record includes numerous book reviews in academic journals, encyclopedia entries for the Handbook of Texas Women Online, and contributions to various online magazines and podcasts. Her recent work has particularly focused on the 2020 suffrage centennial, examining the ongoing relevance of historical voting rights struggles to current political debates. Dr. Gunter frequently presents at academic and public venues including Texas A&M University, Texas Woman's University, Dallas Public Library, and various community colleges across Texas. Her speaking engagements often address the Texas suffrage movement, citizenship rights, and the historical context of contemporary voting rights issues.
Sanna Raninen is a Researcher at Uppsala University's Department of Musicology specializing in Early Modern European music culture, with current projects examining post-Reformation Swedish music books and historical visual representations of music. Her institutional affiliations include ongoing research at Uppsala University and prior positions at the Finnish Literature Society and University of Sheffield. Raninen earned her PhD from the University of Manchester through an Arts and Humanities Research Council UK-funded project analyzing 16th-century polyphonic music sources. Her educational trajectory reflects deep engagement with historical musicology methodologies and material culture studies. Her research focuses on the material and visual dimensions of music in Early Modern Europe, particularly examining how music books functioned within post-Reformation Swedish and Finnish religious contexts. Key themes include book production techniques, manuscript adaptation practices, readership patterns, and the intersection of music with visual art in Renaissance Italy. This interdisciplinary approach bridges musicology, art history, and book history to reconstruct historical musical practices through physical artifacts. Raninen's publication portfolio reveals consistent thematic concentration on music materiality across Scandinavia and Italy, with recent works analyzing parchment reuse in liturgical manuscripts, aging in musical iconography, and early music printing techniques. Her scholarship demonstrates growing methodological sophistication in connecting physical book features to cultural and religious practices. Research funding includes major grants from Vetenskapsrådet (Swedish Research Council) for her current project on post-Reformation songbooks, Kone Foundation support for Finnish Literature Society research, and Leverhulme Trust funding for the 'Music in the Art of Renaissance Italy' initiative at University of Sheffield. She has collaborated extensively on international projects examining music sources from 1480-1530. Raninen leads Uppsala University's comprehensive study on post-Reformation Swedish music books, investigating how written and printed music adapted alongside oral traditions during Sweden's religious transformation. This project examines production methods, physical formats, dissemination networks, and user interactions with musical texts across two centuries of cultural change.
