What do I enjoy most about teaching?  Michel Tardy once wrote that “education does not consist in stuffing, but in inspiring hunger,” and I believe this is truly a liberal arts value.  I enjoy creating learning experiences where students discover a desire to learn more and dig deeper for their own reasons.  When we start to see how language and culture create an entirely different way of being in the world, we can navigate differences more successfully.

I am fascinated by eighteenth-century French authors who sought to write a better future for humanity through critical efforts to de-mystify the physical world, increase transparency and rationality in governing institutions, and who often did so in an entertaining or esthetically pleasing way. My research on Bernardin de St. Pierre, Buffon, Diderot and Raynal has focused on the balance between de-mystification and figurative creation (disenchantment and re-enchantment). Text and image combine in many of the works I study, so early modern print culture, particularly engraved illustration, occupies an important place in my work as well.  

Additionally, my research extends into the efficacies of second language acquisition - what factors contribute to achieving higher levels of language skill faster?  My other interests include teaching with technology (particularly exploring the pedagogical potential of AI), the 18th-century French novel, early modern print culture / engravings, and gamification pedagogy.

When I’m not doing academic things, I love to go kayaking when the lakes aren’t frozen; and when they are, my family and I enjoy cross-country skiing.  In my spare time, I also enjoy reading science fiction or fantasy novels (Tolkien), painting miniatures, gaming, dark chocolate, espresso, and am overly fond of shortbread cookies.

My academic foundation was laid at St. Olaf College, where I earned my B.A., followed by a Masters from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and culminating in a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. This journey has not only shaped my scholarly interests but also my commitment to fostering an environment of curiosity, personal growth, and innovation in the classroom.