Faculty

Biography

I am an Associate Professor in the Writing, Speaking and Argument Program. I have a BA in English and History from the University of York (UK), an MA in Nineteenth-Century Studies from Sheffield University (UK) and a PhD in English from the University of Rochester. As part of the Writing, Speaking and Argument Program, I teach a range of first-year writing courses, classes in professional communication and in the English for Academic Purposes Program. My teaching is grounded in inclusive, student-centered pedagogy with a particular emphasis on supporting multilingual students and those who are less confident in their writing skills. I design courses that both build rhetorical awareness, and engage students’ diverse experiences, needs, and abilities. As a teacher, my goal is to strengthen confidence and agency in academic, professional and other writing contexts.

My background in English and History is central to my focus on writing studies and rhetoric, particularly in my interest in how people use writing (and reading) to make sense of the world. Currently, my research centers on conspiracy theories and misinformation with a particular focus on the rhetorical strategies and narrative structures that give these phenomena cultural power and persistence. I am especially interested in how language and discourse can shape concepts like belief, credibility and authority.