Ph.D. Students

Profiles of the Ph.D. students in the English Department at the University of Louisville

Shayani Almeida

ESL Writing | Second-language Acquisition | Vocabulary in Language Learning

Shayani Almeida is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, where she worked as a Temporary Lecturer at the Department of English Language Teaching. She is following her M.A. degree in TESL at the Post Graduate Institute of English, Open University of Sri Lanka. Her research interests include ESL writing, Second language acquisition, and vocabulary in language learning.


Navin Bhatt

 

Navin Bhatt is a Ph D student in Rhetoric and Composition. He earned an MA in English from Pokhara University of Nepal and then taught technical writing and literature courses to the undergraduate students in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. Besides, he worked as a Lexicographer for more than decade before earning a second Masters in Rhetoric and Composition from Ohio University, USA. He also taught First-Year-Composition during his grad years at Ohio University. His current research interests include culture and transfer, judicial rhetoric, writing center and composition studies. He also enjoys morning walk, hike, and Indian classical music.

Michael Benjamin

literacy studies | critical pedagogy | cultural rhetorics

Michael is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. He earned an M.A. in English at St. John’s University, where he served as a graduate assistant in the University Writing Center. He has also taught English in Slovakia as a Fulbright Fellow and taught first-year composition at multiple universities across New York. His current research interests include writing center studies, critical pedagogy, popular culture, and literacy. He also enjoys nerding out about hip hop, food, anything Queens, New York-related, and pro football.

Morgan Blair

second-language writing | English for specific purposes | basic writing 

Morgan Blair is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. She earned an M.A. in English at Brandeis University and two B.A.’s in English and Humanities from the University of Louisville. Her professional background includes marketing and communications, international student services, humanitarian project development, and EFL instruction. She is taking contemporary American poetry and writing center theory courses here in Fall 2021. Morgan enjoys international travel, hot yoga, and tennis. Most of her favorite fictional quotes can be found in Chuck Palahniuk novels. If she could use a fictional alias, it would be “Harry Potter,” the character she most wanted to be as a child.

Photo of Caitlin Burns

Caitlin Burns

archival research | feminist methodology | activist rhetorics | rhetoric of social media

Caitlin Burns is a Ph.D. student in the Rhetoric and Composition program at the University of Louisville. She earned her B.A. in English and M.A. in Composition, Rhetoric, and English Studies at The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, where she was also a first-year writing instructor and assistant director of the University Writing Center. Her research interests include archival research, feminist methodology, activist rhetorics, and the rhetoric of social media. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, yoga, and hanging out with her cat, Jack.

Rebekah Crosson

safe spaces writing center studies teaching of writing critical race theory

Rebekah is a PhD student pursuing a degree in English, Rhetoric & Composition. Originally from Wilmington, NC, she completed her BA in English at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke with a focus on professional and technical writing, as well as a minor in public relations Additionally, she obtained her MA in English, with a specialization in Composition & Rhetoric from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Having taught middle and high school English, writing, and electives like marketing and African American history, Rebekah has gained valuable pedagogical experience and intends to pursue teaching in higher education. Her commitment extends beyond the classroom, as she actively advocates for the advancement of correctional education, specifically aimed at Black and brown men. Rebekah's primary research interests revolve around fostering safe spaces for Black individuals and people of color, reflecting her commitment to equity and inclusivity, and the building of the Black community.

Christina Davidson

composition pedagogy | feedback literacy | empathy studies | multimodality 

Christina Davidson is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. She earned her M.A. in English at Indiana University Southeast and her Master of Arts in Teaching at Bellarmine University. She worked in the writing center during her time at Indiana University Southeast and taught a variety of courses. Her research interests include multimodal literacies, composition pedagogy, feedback literacy, and empathy studies in relation to composition. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, birding, cooking, and spending time with family.

Lauren Downs

composition pedagogy | multimodal instruction | classroom engagement | student teacher feedback 

Lauren Downs is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Louisville. She earned her M.A. in English, B.A. in English, and B.A. in Communication at Indiana University Southeast.Her research and pedagogical interests include maximizing student engagement in the classroom, first-year composition pedagogy, multimodal instruction, student-teacher feedback, and, as a previous homeschooler, the outcomes of homeschooling compared to traditional classroom schooling. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys 2010’s music, fantasy novels, video games, and cuddling with her dog, Ellie May. 

Paige Enlow

Modern Critical Theory | Transnational Literature | Queer Theory 

Paige (she/her/hers) is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Lindsey Wilson College and later her Master of Arts in English from Arizona State University. Throughout her studies at UofL, Paige plans to spend more time immersed in modern critical theory, transnational lit, and queer theory. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, crocheting, spending time with her friends, and listening to the entire discography of SZA.  

Photo of Lauren Fusilier

Lauren Fusilier

multimodal pedagogy | digital literacies | writing center studies | environmental rhetorics

Lauren is a Ph.D. student pursuing a degree in Rhetoric and Composition. She earned an M.F.A. in fiction from Florida State University and has spent five years teaching first-year composition and working in Writing Centers in New York City. Her current research interests include multimodal pedagogy, the intersection of digital literacies and Writing Centers, and accessibility issues. She loves hiking with her hound dog Darlene, cooking Cajun food, and exploring Louisville’s art scene.

Jessica Gottbrath

critical language awareness precarious rhetorics narrative theory

Jessica Gottbrath is pursuing her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition after having previously earned an M.A. in English and an M.A.T. in Education from the University of Louisville. Her previous studies focused on narrative theory and the development of language and identity through imaginative play. Having taught for several years, she returns to the world of research to explore socially just pedagogy in composition courses. Beyond the classroom, Jessica enjoys food podcasts, crosswords puzzles, and playing board games with family and friends.

Kendyl Harmeling

antiracism | labor studies | writing center studies

Kendyl Harmeling is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. She earned her Bachelor's in American History with a minor in ethical Philosophy from Western Connecticut State University. She then came to the University of Louisville to begin studying Rhetoric and Composition for her Master's, where she researched community creation and systemic imposter syndrome. Presently, Kendyl has incorporated her studies in Rhetoric and Composition pedagogy and her former research in American History into her current research interests of antiracism, unmasking systems of white supremacy within universities, and labor studies.

Rachel Morgan

composition pedagogy | writing center studies | political rhetoric | digital rhetoric

Rachel Morgan is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. She earned her M.A. in Composition, Rhetoric, and English Studies at the University of Alabama where she worked in the writing center and taught first-year writing courses. Her research interests include composition pedagogy, writing center studies, political rhetoric, and digital rhetoric. In her spare time, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, listening to podcasts, and spending time with family and friends.

Jaimeson Oakley

creative writing poetry | queer rhetoric 

Jaimeson Oakley is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Louisville. He earned his MFA in Poetry from the NEOMFA program through Kent State University, where he taught first-year composition and creative writing, and also worked as a graduate writing consultant in the university’s writing center. Before this, he received his BA in English from Shawnee State University. In his spare time, he enjoys playing guitar, cooking, and having lengthy conversations with his cat, Sinister.  

 

Prativa Poudel

Prativa Poudel

rhetoric of rights | new media and agential rights | new-materialist feminist methodology 

Prativa Poudel is a Ph.D. student in rhetoric and composition and has a Master's Degree from Tribhuvan University and an M.Phil. in English from Pokhara University, both in Kathmandu, Nepal. Her background includes work as a news reader and anchor for major cable networks, translator, and high school and college business writing teacher. Her present research interests are unintended violence against animals and women, affect pedagogy, and biopower and minority agency in writing classrooms. She derives her guilty pleasure from chatting with friends, and occasional facial acting, dancing, and karaoke on TikTok. 

Marie Pruitt

first-year writing pedagogy | digital media | writing program administration

Marie Pruitt (she/her/hers) is a Ph.D. student in English Rhetoric and Composition. Before she became a Cardinal, Marie received her Master’s Degree in English and American Literature from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and her Bachelor’s Degree in English at City University of New York (CUNY) at Brooklyn College. As a Composition and Rhetoric convert, Marie is excited to use her Literature background to find new ways of approaching writing studies and pedagogy research. Her research interests are impractically wide, but she likes to focus on first-year writing pedagogy, writing program administration, and digital media and writing technology. You might find her around Louisville posting too many photos of her cat on the internet or trying to learn how to roller skate.

Annika Reitenga

rhetoric of health and medicine | sports literacy | health literacy

Annika Reitenga is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. They earned their B.A. at Birmingham-Southern College, where they majored in English and minored in Writing. Annika received their M.A. from The University of Alabama, where they studied Composition and Rhetoric English Studies. Annika is interested in the Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, specifically in the overlap between rhetoric and eating disorder studies. Their master’s thesis investigated the rhetoric of detoxing, specifically when promoted as a weight loss tactic and marketed on the social media site, Instagram. In their free time, they enjoy going on runs, visiting local coffee shops, and lounging around with their cat, Baby.

Todd Richardson

archival research | health rhetorics | disability studies | writing center studies

Todd Richardson is a PhD student in Rhetoric and Composition. He earned his Bachelor of Arts and his Master of Arts degrees in the field of History at Texas State University. Later, he earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from SNHU’s Mountainview MFA Program with a concentration in Creative Nonfiction. His research interests include archival research, health narratives, disability studies, and writing center studies. When he’s not studying, he enjoys grilling, playing with his daughter, and gardening.

Riley

Taylor Riley

creative writing | feminist rhetorics | journalism

Taylor Riley is a graduate teaching assistant pursuing her Ph.D in Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Louisville. She earned her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Kentucky and her M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction Writing at Spalding University. She has worked as an award-winning professional print and online journalist for a decade with work in USA Today, Courier Journal, regional magazines and as an editor at several community newspapers. Taylor has also published essays in national literary magazines and online publications like Refinery29. She enjoys reading, listening and watching anything on true crime, drinking all the coffee and snuggling with her black lab mixes, Molly and Max.

Chelsea Schaper

pre-modern rhetoric | classical pedagogy | composition theory | political discourse

Chelsea Schaper is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Louisville. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Western Kentucky University and a Master of Arts degree in English from the University of Louisville. Her research primarily explores the application of pre-modern rhetoric and classical pedagogy in contemporary classrooms. Born and raised in Louisville, Chelsea enjoys exploring the city's culinary scene (in another life she might have been a chef). 

Spenser Secrest

Composition Pedagogies | Assessment Practices | Writing Center Studies

Spenser Secrest is a Ph.D. student in rhetoric and composition at the University of Louisville. He received his B.A. and M.A. in English from McDaniel College and the University of Louisville, respectively. His current research interests include composition pedagogy, assessment practices, writing center studies, and antiracist pedagogy. His research focuses on incorporating nuanced and antiracist assessment policies in writing classrooms. Outside of academics, he enjoys reading, creative writing, hiking, and watching movies.

Narjis Sherafati

language in rhetoric and composition | professional writing | feedback

Narjis Sherafati is a PhD  student in Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Louisville. She earned her B.A. in English Translation from the University of Payame Noor and her M.A. in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) from Mazandaran University. She has worked as a researcher, teacher, and author. Narjis has also published the result of her thesis as a book, in addition to several published papers. She is interested in researching second language writing in relation to rhetoric and composition, rhetoric and professional writing, and feedback. Outside of academia, Narjis enjoys reading, listening to music, painting and exercising.

Steven Shoop

he/him/his

multimodal theory | disability | film studies

Steve is a PhD student with a fellowship at the University of Louisville where he studies Rhetoric and Composition. He earned his B.A. in English (Film Concentration) and his M.A. in Rhetoric and Composition from Salisbury University in Maryland, where he wrote his M.A. thesis exploring pedagogical strategies for using film to teach accessible multimodal composition in first-year composition. His current research interests include multimodal theory and semiotics, and their applications to composition pedagogy, digital literacy, disability access, and film. Outside school and work, he enjoys spending time with his niece and nephews, playing Dungeons and Dragons, quoting 25 year-old episodes of The Simpsons, and of course, watching and discussing movies and television.

Liz Soule

Liz Soule

writing center studies | writing in the disciplines | first-year composition pedagogy

Liz is a Ph.D. student at the University of Louisville. She graduated from Salem State University with a B.S. in Education and a B.A. in English. Liz has spent the majority of her graduate career working in the University Writing Center, and more recently, has worked primarily with writers in the health sciences. Her research interests are rooted in writing center and composition studies, more specifically writing in the disciplines and first-year composition pedagogy. Outside of academia, Liz enjoys swimming, cooking, video games and making best friends with strangers' dogs on the street.

Yuan Zhao

Yuan Zhao

he/him

antiracism | history and theory of rhetoric | rhetoric and technology

Yuan Zhao is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. He earned his M.A. in English at the University of Louisville and his other two Master's degrees in English from Chinese University of Hong Kong and Shanghai International Studies University, China. His research interests include antiracism in writing assessments, history and theory of rhetoric, language ideology, and the relation between rhetoric and technology. If he has some leisure time, Yuan enjoys exploring Louisville and hanging out with his cohort friends.