As we always do in our September issue, below we’ll share some of the transitions that mark the start of the new academic year. Read on to find out who's coming to PWR, who's taking on new roles, and who’s moving on to new adventures this year.
Who's coming
We’re excited to welcome Nora Kassner to Stanford and to the role of career-track lecturer in PWR. Nora has previously taught at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; she holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she taught in the Writing Program. Her research focuses on how evolving discourses around race, gender, sexuality, and (dis)ability created queer foster parenting in the United States. This fall, she will teach her PWR 1 course titled “Rhetorics of Childhood.”
Who's taking on a new role
We’re also delighted to announce that two of our colleagues, Alex Greenhough and Stephanie Reist, join the career-track this fall! Please be sure to congratulate them when you see them on the third floor.
Alex is leaving his former position as the writing instructor for ITALIC in very good hands: Lynn Sokei will work with our colleagues in ITALIC this year to teach the residential program’s required first-year WR 1 writing class. Don’t be surprised to still see her around Sweet Hall – she’s teaching in PWR this year as well.
Kevin Moore also takes on a new role: Coordinator for the Notation in Science Communication. Kevin succeeds the amazing Emily Polk, who just finished her term as coordinator. Many thanks to Emily for all her wonderful work over the last three years! Kevin will oversee a range of NSC components, including recruitment of new students, teaching and mentoring our NSC students, science communication events, and assessment of final e-portfolios.
Raechel Lee’s new role has her joining the administrative team in the Hume Center for Writing and Speaking as their first Writing Programs Coordinator (WPC), a modification of the Hume Associate Director position held by several of our lecturers in the past, including Norah Fahim, Sarah Pittock and, most recently, Tesla Schaeffer (who just finished her three-year term in that role). The WPC (as the title indicates) focuses specifically on writing-related projects: helping to recruit, select, and train undergraduate and graduate writing tutors; overseeing embedded writing tutoring in PWR 1; and designing and delivering Hume Center workshops.
As final great news, Shay Brawn and Emily Polk return to their roles as Writing Specialists as part of a one-year pilot of a revamped Writing Specialist position. Shay will serve as the writing specialist for the HumBio program, and Emily will take on the role of writing specialist for the Doerr School. In its new incarnation as in the pre-COVID model, the Writing Specialists will collaborate on a range of writing initiatives with their partners, helping them build a stronger culture of writing through support for undergraduates and instructors including faculty, lecturers, and TAs.
Who's returning
We're excited that several of our newer colleagues will return to teach with us this year: Liz Hille, Jill Schepmann, Julia Schulte, and Olesya Shayduk-Immerman.
Who's moving on
As most of you are aware from a message she sent in late August, Tesla Schaeffer has taken another position and is leaving Stanford. We will miss her collegiality and commitment to the program mission -- she has contributed so much to our program, through her roles at the Hume Center, the Teaching and Tutoring Committee, the PWR 1 Studio and Workshop, and just by being the smart, upbeat, and kind colleague that she's been over the years. We wish her much success in her new role!
