Journalists are welcome to contact me for expert commentary and opinion about popular, visual & media culture, design and domestic culture, communication expertise (including speaking and presenting), academic and college culture, and teaching with technology.

My research focuses on visual and popular culture. My published work includes essays on design and domesticity, BDSM culture and 50 Shades of Grey, disaster photography, graphic design, and tattooing.

As an instructor, I have extensive expertise in using technology to engage students in online environments, and received a Presidential Award for Academic Excellence from Bridgewater State University for innovative use of technology.

As a speaker, I have over fifteen years of public speaking experience that includes presentations at the international, national, regional, state, and local levels.

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Not really glowing about ‘Glow’: Feisty analysis in under 250 words

March 30, 2018

It’s Friday and I’m feeling a little feisty, so I thought I would kick off a visual analysis / media critique series. As an academic, a lot of what I do is boring, long, and involves words like concatenation. Way too much work for a Friday. Instead, I thought I would offer a pithy (the …

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Writing, inspiration, and productivity: Or, why I needed really expensive file folders

January 16, 2018

I’m not sure how other people find inspiration, but mine apparently comes in the shape of pretty, overpriced file folders and a redesigned writing area. I’ve been dragging my feet for a couple years now on finishing my book manuscript. I’ve worked on pieces of the project, but somehow getting it all together just hasn’t …

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The Carcass of the American Dream: Ruin Porn, Still Life, and Architectural Decay

January 14, 2018

Detroit is a city marked by the moldering carcass of the industrial American dream. Once the site of monuments to the power of production, Detroit is now famous for the decay of historic buildings. The ruins of Detroit, captured by photographers, frame the carcass of the American dream in striking photographs. That so much of …

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Setting the stage for active learning: The “why to” and “how to” of an interactive syllabus

August 14, 2017

  I came across a blog post the other day with a pretty piece of typography touting: Great teachers don’t teach content, they teach people. Perhaps I was  having a tough day with the school year looming like the sword of Damocles, but I couldn’t help rolling my eyes. It’s a lovely sentiment, but how …

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GAP’s answer to women’s stalled academic careers: Get cute

June 12, 2017

A couple of weeks ago a promotional email advertising GAP professional wear for women crossed my path. The ad brought to mind fake reviews for an infamous PhD Costume on Amazon. In my favorite ‘review’ for the sexxxy PhD costume the author writes: “Like all lady Ph.Ds, I frequently ask myself: ‘How could I be …

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