As a Writing Studies scholar, I am deeply committed to work and inquiry that serves a larger purpose. Primarily, this larger purpose has been educational and disciplinary reform as it relates to inequity. My research focuses on the intersections of culture, discipline, and pedagogy, with a special emphasis on discursive identity development and disciplinary enculturation.
My current research projects involve exploring the impact of specific pedagogical approaches on student self-efficacy as readers and writers. I am also currently involved in a project aligning core concepts from first-year composition to other courses in the undergraduate curriculum. This Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) research considers self-efficacy for instructors and students, and performance with writing as it relates to knowledge transfer.
I earned my doctorate at Northeastern University, where I taught First-Year Writing and advanced courses in disciplinary writing (e.g., science). I also hold a Master’s of Letters (MLitt) from the University of Glasgow and a Master’s of Fine Arts (MFA) from Emerson College. In addition to teaching, I am an Associate Publisher with The WAC Clearinghouse, Incoming Chair for the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum, Host/Chair for the 2027 International Writing Across the Curriculum Conference, and serve on multiple editorial boards.
At UMaine, I teach undergraduate and graduate courses related to writing in the disciplines (e.g., engineering), writing studies theory and practice, and Technical and Professional Communication. I am also a faculty affiliate with the Maine Center for Research in STEM Education and occasionally teach research methods courses for the Master in Science Teaching program.