Research

I am an interdisciplinary researcher interested in folklore and vernacular storytelling, American literature of Appalachia and the South, and the public and environmental humanities. My methodological approach often combines literary analysis, engaged and collaborative ethnography, and archival research. My current writing projects include research on regional environmental storytelling that addresses flooding and climate change, citizen science and local knowledge exchange efforts, and the history, complexity, and diversity of folklore in Appalachia.

At West Virginia University, where I earned my B.A., I majored in English with a concentration in Professional Writing & Editing, World Languages with a concentration in Spanish, and Women’s & Gender Studies.

At Ohio State University, I earned an M.A. in English and a PhD in English with a Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in folklore.