I am a first-generation college student and a second-generation geek. I grew up obsessed with science fiction and was delighted when I discovered (during my tutorial at Stanfordâs BOSP program in Oxford) that I could approach these narratives with the same critical care and consideration that is given to Shakespeare and Austen, Morrison and Twain. In my work, I explore what science fiction worlds, whether textual or visual, tell us about the more mundane (though often no less wondrous or terrible) worlds in which they were written, and what they tell us about ourselves.
After graduating from Stanford in 1996, I went to UC Santa Barbara where I completed a PhD in English. My dissertation ranged from Frankenstein to The Matrix, examining the ways in which specific technological developments across the centuries force us to reconsider the nature of what it means to be human.
My interests include contemporary American literature, cultural studies, film theory, new media studies, short fiction, graphic narratives, video games, and childrenâs and young adult literature. I have presented at ComicCon and WorldCon to audiences composed of academics, cosplayers, cosplaying academics, and academic cosplayers. I have recently presented papers on _Westworld_, _Stranger Things_, and Brian K. Vaughanâs _Paper Girls_.
Iâm currently a Lead Undergraduate Advising Director with an office in FloMo. I help students navigate Stanford and answer questions about life, the university, and everything.
