Vitae

On this page you’ll find web-ready CV, with anchor links that lead to different sections of text.

FACULTY APPOINTMENTS

Assistant Professor in Professional and Technical Writing, Department of English and Comparative Literature, San José State University, San José, CA, 2018-present

EDUCATION

Ph.D. in English, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2018
Specialization: Rhetoric, Composition, and Literacy
Dissertation: “The Challenge of Anonymous and Ephemeral Social Media: Reflective Research Methodologies & Student-User Composing Practices”
Committee: Adam R. Pope (chair), David A. Jolliffe, Patrick J. Slattery

Graduate Certificate in Technical Writing and Public Rhetorics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2018

M.A. in Literature and Language, with Distinction, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, 2013

B.A. in English, Valedictorian, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN, 2011

TEACHING AND RESEARCH INTERESTS

Social Media Pedagogies and Methodologies, Technical and Professional Communication, New Media Studies, Digital Rhetoric and Literacies, Composition Studies, Rhetoric, Rural Literacies and Place-Based Pedagogies

PUBLICATIONS

Peer-Reviewed Articles

West, Sara. (forthcoming August 2023). Student Perceptions of Anonymous Applications. Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy. (accepted)

West, Sara, & Pope, Adam R. (2021). Rubles and Rhetoric: Corporate Kairos and Social Media’s Crises of Common Sense. Present Tense Journal, 9(1). Retrieved from https://www.presenttensejournal.org/volume-9/rubles-and-rhetoric-corporate-kairos-and-social-medias-crisis-of-common-sense/

West, Sara, & Pope, Adam R. (2018). Corporate Kairos and the Impossibility of the Anonymous, Ephemeral Messaging Dream. Present Tense Journal 6(3), Special Issue on The Rhetorics of Platforms. Retrieved from http://www.presenttensejournal.org/volume-6/corporate-kairos-and-the-impossibility-of-the-anonymous-ephemeral-messaging-dream/

West, Sara. (2017). Confronting Negative Narratives: Challenges of Teaching Professional Social Media Usage. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 80(4), 409-425

West, Sara. (2016). Yik Yak and the Knowledge Community. Communication Design Quarterly, 4(2B), 11-21

Blogs

West, Sara. (2018). Back to the future? Reflections on digital infrastructures. Blog Carnival: Discerning Digital Futures. Eds.  Sweetland Digital Rhetoric Collaborative. Retrieved from https://www.digitalrhetoriccollaborative.org/2018/10/02/back-to-the-future-reflections-on-digital-infrastructures/

Other Publications (Non-Refereed)

West, Sara. (2017). S-Town and the Discomfort of Multimodality. In Digital Rhetorical Collaborative. Retrieved from http://www.digitalrhetoriccollaborative.org/2017/07/28/s-town-the-discomfort-of-multimodality/

West, Sara, and Dieterle, Brandy. (2016). Pokémon Go and Collaborative Gameplay. In Digital Rhetoric Collaborative. Retrieved from http://www.digitalrhetoriccollaborative.org/2016/10/29/pokemon-go-collaborative-gameplay/ 

HONORS, AWARDS, & GRANTS

Dean’s Professional Development Grant ($1000), College of Humanities and the Arts, San José State University, Academic Year 2021-2022

Dean’s Professional Development Grant ($200), College of Humanities and the Arts, San José State University, Academic Year 2020-2021

New Faculty Jump Start Professional Development Grant ($500), Office of the Provost, San José State University, 2019

Dean’s Professional Development Grant ($1000), College of Humanities and the Arts, San José State University, Academic Year 2018-2019

Central Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (RSCA) Grant, San José State University, 2018

Computers and Writing Travel Grant, Computers and Writing/Graduate Research Network Travel Awards Committee, 2017

Nominee, J. Hillman Yowell Award for Excellence in Teaching, Fulbright College, University of Arkansas, 2017

Graduate Fellowship, Sweetland Digital Rhetoric Collaborative, 2016-2017

Larry Guinn Endowed Award for Academic Achievement in Rhetoric, Literacy, Composition and/or Linguistics, University of Arkansas, 2016

Doctoral Academy Fellowship, University of Arkansas, 2013-2017

John D. Allen Award for Outstanding Graduate Student in English, East Tennessee State University, 2012-2013

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

For more information on each of the courses I’ve taught, please see my teaching page.

Assistant Professor, San José State University, 2018-present (* = Developed course)

  • English 129: Writing for Professional Publications (Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2022)
  • *English 111: Strategic Digital Content and Social Media Writing (Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022)
  • English 107: Professional and Technical Writing (Spring 2022)
  • English 106: Professional and Technical Editing (Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2022)
  • English 100WB: Written Communications, Business (Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Summer 2020)
  • Humanities and Arts 187: Creative Team Practicum, Editorial (Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021)
  • English 298: Special Study (Fall 2021)
  • English 180: Independent Study (Fall 2018)

Senior Graduate Teaching Assistant (Instructor of Record), University of Arkansas
(* = Developed course)

  • English 3053: Technical and Report Writing (Spring 2018—2 sections)
  • *English 2003: Advanced Composition, Multimodal Focus (Fall 2017—2 sections)
  • English 3035: Technical and Report Writing (Spring 2017—1 section)
  • English 1033: Technical Composition 2 (Fall 2016—1 section)
  • *English 1023S: Writing for Social Media (Spring 2016—2 sections)
  • English 2003: Advanced Composition (Fall 2015—2 sections)
  • *English 1023S: Writing about Online Writing (Spring 2015—1 section)
  • English 1023: Composition II (Spring 2014—2 sections)
  • English 1013: Composition I (Fall 2013—2 sections, Fall 2014—1 section)

Graduate Teaching Assistant (Instructor of Record), East Tennessee State University

  • English 1020: Critical Thinking and Argumentation (Spring 2013—2 sections)
  • English 1010: Critical Reading and Expository Writing (Fall 2012—2 sections)

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE

Curriculum Development for Program in Professional and Technical Writing, Department of English and Comparative Literature, San José State University (Fall 2018-present)
Work closely with the Director of Professional and Technical Writing Program to assess and revise curriculum. Created new course in content writing and strategy (English 111), accepted by curriculum committee in Fall 2019 and first offered in Fall 2020. Fully revised curriculum for editing course (English 106) and professional writing course (English 129).

Curriculum Development for Social Media Unit, English 5523: Technical Writing for Online Audiences (Online), Graduate Certificate in Technical Writing and Public Rhetorics, University of Arkansas (Fall 2016)
Created a 4-week graduate unit on writing for social media. Created all unit content, including weekly video lessons, reading lists, reading responses, and major assignment.

Program in Rhetoric and Composition Support Team Member, University of Arkansas (2015-2016)
Acted in volunteer support capacity to the Writing Program Administrator in responsibilities of the Program in Rhetoric and Composition. Participated in one-on-one mentoring sessions regarding curriculum development, budgeting, staffing, and other WPA duties.

Teaching Support Coordinator, Program in Rhetoric and Composition, University of Arkansas (Fall 2014-Spring 2015)
Researched, developed, and maintained a SharePoint site to house writing program documents for Program in Rhetoric and Composition and the Writing Program Administrator. Monitored and maintained English Department Tech Support Center.

Assistant Director, Mountain Heritage Literary Festival & Cumberland Gap Writer’s Studio, Lincoln Memorial University (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016)
Worked with directors to plan, organize, and host an annual writing festival of over 100 participants. Managed teams of Summer Arts Interns.

OTHER ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

Graduate Writing Tutor, CLASS+ Writing Center, University of Arkansas, August 2014-May 2017
Grant Writing & Consulting Group, University of Arkansas, August 2014-May 2018
ARCARE/East Arkansas Literacy Outreach Project Assistant, Brown Chair in English Literacy, University of Arkansas, directed by David A. Jolliffe, Fall 2013
Counselor, Appalachian Young Writers’ Workshop, Lincoln Memorial University, 2012, 2013
Counselor, Tennessee Young Writers’ Workshop, Austin Peay State University, 2011, 2012, 2013
Graduate Writing Tutor, Center for Academic Achievement, East Tennessee State University, August 2011-May 2012

CONFERENCE ACTIVITY

International Conferences

“Corporate Kairos, Data Use, and the Expectation of Privacy.” (2019, October). International Conference of the Association of Internet Researchers, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

National Conferences

“Toward Skills-based Editing: Using Wikipedia for Copyediting Practice.” (2022, March), Conference for College Composition and Communication, Online.

“Preprint Publications & Public Peer Review: What We Can Learn from the Santa Clara Antibody Study.” (2021, April). Conference for College Composition and Communication, Online.

“‘If it’s anonymous, you can get away with it’: Users’ Performances on Anonymous Platforms.” (2019, March). Conference for College Composition and Communication, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

“Rhetorical Research Methods and Ethical Quandaries: A Roundtable Discussion.” (2018, June). With Lauren Cagle, Jordynn Jack, Jennifer Malkowski, Lisa Meloncon, and Sarah Singer.  Biennial Conference of the Rhetoric Society of America, Minneapolis, MN.

“Rubles and Rhetoric: Corporate Kairos and Social Media’s Crisis of Common Sense.” (2018, March). With Adam R. Pope. Association for Teachers of Technical Writing Conference, Kansas City, MO.

“Designing the New (Media) Composition: Social Media in FYC.” (2017, July). Conference of Writing Program Administrators, Knoxville, TN.

“The Challenge of Anonymous and Ephemeral Social Media: Reflective Research Methodologies & Student-User Composing Practices.” (2017, June). Graduate Research Network, Computers & Writing Conference, Findlay, Ohio.

“Now You See it, Now You Don’t: The Role of Researcher in Ephemeral Social Media Spaces.” (2017, March). Conference for College Composition and Communication, Portland, Oregon.

“Teaching While Tweeting: Using Social Media in Traditional FYC Classrooms.” (2016, March). Computer Connection at the Conference for College Composition and Communication, Houston, Texas.

“Using Social Media in Technical and Professional Communication Classes.” (2015, July). Conference of Writing Program Administrators, Boise, Idaho.

“Imagine You’re Not Writing for Your Teacher: Mediating ‘Imaginary’ Contexts by Using Online Writing.” (2015, March). College English Association Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Regional Conferences

“Yik Yak, Web 2.0, and the Rhetoric of Transparency.” (2015, November). South Central Modern Language Association, Nashville, Tennessee.

“‘In Detroit youse gotta learn to speak English’: Appalachian Dialect and Identity in Harriette Arnow’s The Dollmaker and Daniel Petrie’s TV Movie.” (2013, November). South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference, Atlanta, Georgia.

“The Culture Divide: A Rationalization of Behavior in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita.” (2013, February). Tennessee Philological Association Conference, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Graduate Conferences

“Social Media, Professional Writing, and the English Department.” (2016, March). University of Arkansas GSE Conference, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

“‘Have you ever heard of Google?’: Information/Misinformation Transfer on Yik Yak.” (2015, March). University of Arkansas GSE Conference, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

“‘Are There People Left Who Can’t Type?’: Researching Typing Literacy in the 21st Century.” (2014, March). University of Arkansas GSE Conference, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

“Chopin’s Calixta: Overcoming the Boundaries of Patriarchy.” (2012, March). University of Virginia GESA Conference, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Conference Service

Session Chair, “Technical Communication Praxis in a Globalized World.” (2017, March). Association of Teachers of Technical Writing, Portland, Oregon.

Session Chair, “Acting on Data: Corpus-Based, Computer-Aided Analysis of Student Writing.”  (2016, April). Conference on College Composition and Communication, Houston, Texas.

Moderator, “Imaginative Approaches to Digital Literacy.” (2015, March). College English Association Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Session Chair, Appalachian Literature, “Carved from the Mountains: Defining Sustainability in the Appalachian Region.” (2014, November). South Atlantic Modern Language Association, Atlanta, Georgia.

Session Secretary, Appalachian Literature, “Constructing Culture in World and Image: Exploring Boundaries and Intersections.” (2013, November). South Atlantic Modern Language Association, Atlanta, Georgia.

LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS

Presenter

“Preprint Publications & Public Peer Review: What We Can Learn from the Santa Clara Antibody Study.” (2020, August). Faculty Tapas Talks: COVID-19 Related RSCA, San Jose State University.

“Document Design in the Writing Classroom.” (2019, October-November). Instructor for 4-week seminar to writing faculty in a variety of disciplines. Writing Across the Curriculum, San José State University.

“Spotting Fake News.” (2017, October). Fayetteville Public Library Workshop Series, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

“What ‘counts’ in digital scholarship?: Contributions to the Sweetland Digital Rhetoric Collaborative Wiki.” (2017, July). Co-led mini workshop with David Coad, Brandy Dieterle, Brandee Easter, Anne Gere, Adrienne Raw, and Naomi Silvera. Computers and Writing Conference, Findlay, Ohio.

“Narratin’ Snapchat and Synthesizin’ Storify: Using Social Media in the Composition Classroom.” (2015, October). Teaching Composition Workshop, University of Arkansas.

“Using Visual and Social Media to Teach the Rhetorical Triangle.” (2013, November). Teaching Composition Workshop, University of Arkansas.

Participant

“Introduction to Teaching Online Using QLT for Summer Training.” (Spring 2020). Online training course for using quality learning and teaching in blended and online classes. Provided by The California State University.

“Onboarding Seminar for New 100/100WB Instructors.” (Fall 2018). 6-week seminar led by Dr. Thomas Moriarty. Writing Across the Curriculum, San José State University.

“Essential On-The-Job Communication Skills Business Students Should Master: A Syllabus Playbook for 100WB Instructions.” (Fall 2018). Led by Laimin Lo. Writing Across the Curriculum, San Jose State University.

SERVICE

Service to the Field

Reviewer, Annual Proceedings of the Computers and Writing Conference, Summer 2022

Reviewer, Internet Histories, Summer 2021

Stage 1 Proposal Reviewer, Conference for College Composition and Communication, Summer 2020, Summer 2021

Reviewer, Enculturation: A Journal of Rhetoric, Writing, and Culture, Special issue “Doing Rhetoric in a Post-Truth Age,” 2020

Reviewer, International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities, 2019

Reviewer, Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 2018, 2020

Graduate Fellow, Sweetland Digital Rhetoric Collaborative, 2016-2017

Committee Member,WPA-GO Digital Presence Committee, 2015-2016

Institutional Service

San Jose State University

Member, University Program Planning Committee, Academic Senate, Fall 2021-present

Member, College Research Committee, College of Humanities and Arts, Fall 2020-Spring 2021

Co-Chair, English Departmental Awards Committee, Department of English and Comparative Literature, Fall 2020-present

Member, English Department Curriculum Committee, Spring 2022-present

Member, Composition Committee, Department of English and Comparative Literature, Fall 2020-present

Interviewer, English Credential Program, Department of English and Comparative Literature, Fall 2019-present

Member, Policy Committee, Department of English and Comparative Literature, Fall 2019-Spring 2021

Peer Evaluator, First-Year Writing Program, Department of English and Comparative Literature, 2019-present

Managing Editor, English Department Newsletter, Fall 2018-Fall 2019

Scorer, Lucas College of Business Written Communication Assessment, Summer 2019, Summer 2020, Winter 2021

Scorer, Lucas College of Business Written Communication Assessment Pilot, January 2019

University of Arkansas

Scorer, English Language Placement Exam, English Language and Cultural Studies Program, August 2017

Committee Member, GSE Conference Planning Committee, 2015-2016

Discussion Group Leader, Professionalism and Communication Group, New Teaching Assistant Orientation, Fall 2015

Ph.D. Liaison, Graduate Students of English, 2014-2015

Co-Editor, Arkansas English Newsletter, 2014-2015

Teaching Mentor, Composition I, Program in Rhetoric and Composition, Fall 2014

Community Service

Operations Committee Member, Communications Manager, The Dancing Cat/Karma Cat Rescue, San José, California, August 2021-present

Operations Committee Member, Cat Curation, The Dancing Cat/Karma Cat Rescue, San José, California, August 2018-August 2021

Volunteer, 7Hills Homeless Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas, January 2018-May 2018

Volunteer, Purr Catfe, Fayetteville, Arkansas, August 2017-May 2018

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS

Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, Rush

Microsoft Office Suite

Google Office Suite

WordPress

Squarespace

Meta Business Suite

HTML/CSS & Markdown (proficient)

DITA (proficient)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR)
Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW)
California Faculty Association (CFA)
College Composition and Communication (CCC)
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)