Emily Friedman and I just published a co-edited special issue of Romantic Circles Pedagogy Commons on “Teaching Jane Austen."  The online, open-access issue includes 11 essays by leading Austen scholars, on subjects such as teaching Austen with digital resources and manuscripts (Michelle Levy), teaching her fiction in a prison setting (Michael Verderame), and teaching Austen with the Romantic poets (Beth Lau). The issue also includes an annotated bibliography on the scholarship of teaching Austen (by me and Emily Zarka), as well as a generous selection of teaching materials, including syllabi, discussion questions, assignments, and handouts. I'm just thrilled with how it turned out and grateful to all of the people at RC who made this possible, especially Prof. Kate Singer, who first suggested it, after our sessions on the subject at the Modern Language Association Convention in 2013.

So proud of our ASU Derby Devils, for their 243-205 victory over University of Arizona's Derby Cats last night at the Sun Devil Fitness Complex in Tempe. The team worked so hard this year, after last year's  loss in Tucson in the first-ever collegiate roller derby bout. I couldn't be more proud of and grateful to graduating senior, founder, and captain, Maiden Asia, or to the team's coach, Nun Meaner. That I get to count faculty adviser to our roller derby team as part of my job is an incredibly lucky, happy thing. Here I am with three (three!) English majors on the Derby Devils roster of 14, along with our mascot, Sparky. Go Derby Devils!

I so enjoyed writing this piece  for The Chronicle of Higher Education about why I love and value academic conferences--and how you might approach them so that you will, too. 

Looser, Devoney. “Why I Love Academic Conferences." The Chronicle of Higher Education. 22 April 2015. http://chronicle.com/article/Why-I-Love-Academic/229515/

Thanks so much to my alma mater, Augsburg College (Minneapolis, Minnesota), for this fun alumni newsletter feature on my professional life and favorite hobby--and how they overlap--in "Jane Austen on Wheels." 

So grateful to the wonderful audience that came out to see my Thursday lecture, "Jane Austen Matters," at Pomona College. Thanks for nodding and laughing (and not nodding off) in all the right places! I also got to spend time with Prof. Sarah Raff and her talented students, talking about the history of the book at Honnold Special Collections. A special shout-out to the talented student who designed this fabulous poster for my visit. Love it!