Public Humanities
Bridging the Gap
I have long been a dedicated public humanist, devoted to bridging the gap between academics and public audiences. This first started with encouraging my students to find ways to bring their research to public audiences through presentations and eventually digital media. I have also benefited from organizations like the Jane Austen Society of North America and the Dickens Universe, which have successful town-and-gown models. I’ve cofounded or founded several organizations to carry forward these ideals and to train the next generation of public humanists.
Grants & Awards
Here are some of the recent grants that have made our public humanities events possible:
National Endowment for the Humanities: Digital Programs for the Public Prototype Grant for developing "Jane Austen's Desk," an interactive environment for understanding Austen. Read more >
North Carolina Humanities Public Grassroots Grant: “Jane Austen and STEAM” web series hosted through Jane Austen & Co. with Anne Fertig & Susan Allen Ford (Fall 2022-Spring 2023).
Carolina Public Humanities Critical Issues Grant: for “Reading with Jane Austen” web series hosted through Jane Austen & Co. with Anne Fertig & Susan Allen Ford (Fall 2022-Spring 2023).
Carolina Public Humanities Critical Issues Grant: for “Asia & the Regency” web series hosted through Jane Austen & Co. with Anne Fertig & Kimiyo Ogawa (Fall 2021-Spring 2022).
Carolina Asia Center Grant: for “Asia & the Regency” web series hosted through Jane Austen & Co. with Anne Fertig & Kimiyo Ogawa (Fall 2021-Spring 2022).
North Carolina Humanities Council Grant: for “Asia & the Regency” web series hosted through Jane Austen & Co. with Anne Fertig & Kimiyo Ogawa (Fall 2021-Spring 2022).
Carolina Public Humanities Critical Issues Grant: for “Race & the Regency” web series hosted through Jane Austen & Co. with Anne Fertig & Danielle Christmas.
Orange County Arts Commission: NC Cares for the Arts grant for the Jane Austen & Co web series “Staying Home with Jane Austen” (Fall, 2020).
Carolina Arts Everywhere Grant: towards registration fees for two middle school student essay contest winners to attend the Jane Austen Summer Program (Spring, 2019).
UNC Public Humanities Grant: towards the teacher outreach and scholarships programs of the Jane Austen Summer Program (2019-2022).
North Carolina Humanities Council Harlan Joel Gradin Award for Excellence in the Public Humanities (for work of Jane Austen Summer Program with NC teachers) (Fall 2018)
Martha Kesser Fund (English and Comparative Literature): towards graduate student stipends for the Jane Austen Summer Program (2018-2019).
Marjorie M. and Nelson Schwab III Fund (Institute of Arts and Humanities): towards the programming costs for the Jane Austen Summer Program (2018-2019).
NC Humanities Council Grassroots Grant: for the Jane Austen Summer Program to support our training of middle and secondary school teachers in NC (2018).
Carolina Performing Arts: for admission fee to Jane Austen Summer Program for high school winner of PlayMakers Essay Contest (2017-18)
NC Humanities Council Grassroots Grant: for the Jane Austen Summer Program to support our training of middle and secondary school teacher in NC (2016, 2017).