Alumnus Dr. Paul M. Rogers has recently been hired as an Associate Professor in the UC Santa Barbara Writing Program.
Rogers (Education, Ph.D., ’08) is a co-founder and the immediate past chair of the International Society for the Advancement of Writing Research (ISAWR), the co-editor of five volumes of research on writing, and the author of numerous journal articles and book chapters. He is currently working on a study of innovation and leadership by schools of education during the COVID-19 pandemic, advancing tools of formative assessment and writing engagement in elementary education, and a number of other projects aimed at advancing writing research, theory, and practice. Rogers was a recipient of the American Association of Colleges & Universities K. Patricia Cross Award for leadership in higher education, and a co-recipient of the National Council of Teachers of English Janet Emig Award for research in English education.
Rogers says, “As a graduate of the GGSE, I am very excited to be back at UC Santa Barbara and to be working together with my colleagues in advancing education in ways that promote positive social change and a more sustainable and just world.”
In the UCSB Writing Program, students study and practice writing in academic, civic, and professional contexts. Undergraduate courses focus on study of and practice with writing expected by different audiences. Lower division courses help students develop foundational critical writing, reading, research, and analysis strategies. Upper division courses concentrate on the study and practice of writing in specific academic, professional, and civic contexts as well as on the study of writing as an academic discipline. The Program also offers a Professional Writing Minor and opportunities for undergraduates and graduates to conduct independent research with expert faculty. The Writing Program supports graduate education with graduate-level classes, writing workshops, and courses focusing on writing theory and pedagogy. The Program also offers a Ph.D. emphasis in Writing Studies for students in select departments.