MA GNDS 2014
"My time at GNDS completing my MA from 2012-2014 was instrumental in shaping my work and research. My time in the program not only transformed the way I understand and exist in the world but also set me off on a research path I'm pursuing today. In particular, my time in Dr. Katherine McKittrick's class changed my perspective on what research could accomplish and the research avenues open to me. Specifically, I recall Dr. McKittrick asking us to read theory with and alongside cultural texts. As someone who has always been interested in popular culture and storytelling, the opportunity to read cultural texts and theory together opened my eyes to the kind of creative, transformative potential these texts could offer.
Because of Dr. McKittrick's class, I changed the focus of my MA to study race in online fan communities. I have since completed my Ph.D. which considered the experiences of teenagers reading and writing explicit fanfiction as a mechanism to explore their identities, sexualities, and desires. Without my experience at GNDS I would have imagined doing this research and I am profoundly grateful to the mentors and colleagues I met during my time at Queen's.
I am currently working as an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at the Women & Gender Studies Institute at the University of Toronto. I teach cultural studies and pop culture, two topics that I first explored during my time at GNDS."