Recent News

Megan Callow
The College of Arts and Science's Perspectives newsletter recently highlighted Teaching Professor Megan Callow's work on AI literacy in writing classrooms, along with the work of two other colleagues across the university. In Callow's interview, she provides a thoughtful explanation for how generative AI technologies have affected her teaching: "[C]ritical AI…
Rasheena Fountain, a PhD Candidate in English language and literature, is performing "Speculative Land Blues" on Thursday, February 19th at the Henry Art Museum as part of its Speculative Landscapes series. The show will take place in the Henry's Lower Level Galleries from 6pm-7:30pm. More details can be found at the Henry Museum's…
English Department Chair Habiba Ibrahim
Greetings from Padelford, during a time of year in Seattle that is sometimes referred to as the “Big Dark.” From the middle of October into spring, the days are short and gray. Nowadays, on work days, I can arrive on campus not long after the sunrise and leave well after sunset. I mention the seemingly endless stretch of Seattle gloom to remind us that there are ways to manage in times of…
Headshots of four faculty members with recent publications: Shawn Wong, Anna Preus, Chris Holstrom, and Colette Moore
Below is a small selection of notable publications from English Department faculty throughout 2025, comprising new and forthcoming books, chapters in edited collections, and journal articles. For a full, searchable database of English Department publications, please click hereNew and Forthcoming Faculty Books David Shields…
Headshots of recent hires Rhema Hokama, Hunter Little, and Frank Macarthy
In 2025, the English Department welcomed three remarkable new faculty members: Rhema Hokama (Assistant Professor of English Literature), Hunter Little (Assistant Teaching Professor in the Program for Writing Across Campus and Program for Writing and Rhetoric), and Frank Macarthy (also Assistant Teaching Professor in PWAC and PWR). For this…
Headshots of recently promoted faculty Megan Callow and Josephine Walwema
The English Department has much to celebrate from 2025 in terms of our faculty's awards and achievements. This article captures just a selection of all that our wonderful colleagues accomplished over the past year. Promotion, Retention, and New Leaders The English Department would like to extend special congratulations to Megan Callow and
Linford Lamptey, Assistant Teaching Professor of Technical and Professional Communication
The English Department’s Writing Programs are growing! We’re excited to welcome Technical and Professional Communication (TPC) as a standalone program in the Department. TPC will now offer undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as a new Minor. The TPC core faculty—Director and Teaching Professor Josie Walwema, along with Assistant Teaching Professors Chris Holstrom, Linford Lamptey, and…
Headshot of UW English PhD Anselma Prihandita
Anselma Prandhita, 2025, a PhD in language and rhetoric, was profiled by the College of Arts and Sciences last summer. A scholar of speculative fiction and the English language, Prihandita completed a dissertation that explores writing challenges faced by historically marginalized students, while also producing short stories in the speculative fiction genre. One of her stories, "Negative…
Poet Derek Sheffield, arms crossed, stands next to a tree with a river in the background.
Derek Sheffield, ’90, ’99, a poet and English teacher, was appointed Washington State’s Poet Laureate in April by Governor Bob Ferguson. A passionate naturalist known for co-editing the best-selling "Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry" with Elizabeth Bradfield, ’94, and CMarie Fuhrman, Sheffield is “always packing” binoculars and hand lens and birds by ear—often in the woods near his home…
A picture of David Bosworth, on a background of silver and purple.
We will greatly miss Professor David Bosworth, who is retiring this year! Professor Bosworth received his B.A from Brown University in English and American Literature in 1969, and joined the faculty at UW English department faculty in 1984. Throughout his long career, Professor Bosworth has published in a wide range of forms, from short fiction,…