curriculum vitae
index : cv : bio : teaching : writing : projects : contact

Alana Kumbier
Research and Instruction Librarian
Margaret Clapp Library
Wellesley College
106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02481
Email: akumbier @ wellesley.edu

EDUCATION
Ph.D., Department of Comparative Studies, The Ohio State University [2009]
Dissertation: Ephemeral Material: Developing a Critical Archival Practice
Committee: Dr. Maurice E. Stevens (Chair), David G. Horn, Timothy K. Choy, Leo Coleman

M.L.I.S., School of Library and Information Science, Kent State University [2003]
Area of emphasis: Academic librarianship (reference and instruction)
Practicum: Development of online library instruction modules for Ohio
Dominican University Library
(see Projects page for details)

M.A., Department of Comparative Studies, The Ohio State University [2000]
Thesis: Resignifying AIDS: Locating Agency in the Context of the Epidemic
Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Terry

B.A., English/Creative Writing, Southwest Missouri State University [1998]

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

TEACHING
Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of Comparative Studies
[1998-2000; 2003-2007]

Courses taught as an independent instructor:

  • Comparative Studies 597.02: Global Culture
  • Comparative Studies 597.01: Global Studies of Science and Technology
  • Comparative Studies 367.02: Science, and Technology in American Culture
  • Comparative Studies 367.01: American Identity in the World
  • Comparative Studies 305: Medicine and the Humanities
  • Comparative Studies 204: Science and Literature
  • English 110: First Year Writing

Please consult my Teaching page for details.

 

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • Comparative Studies Teaching Award [2005-2006]

  • Micheal G. Riley International Academic Scholarship from the College of Humanities, Ohio State University [Spring 2006]

  • Graduate Small Research Grant from the College of Humanities, Ohio State University [Spring 2006]

  • Travel to Collections Grant, Newcomb College Center for Research on Women, Tulane University [March 2005]
  • Graduate Small Research Grant from the College of Humanities, Ohio State University. [Spring 2004]
  • Richard Bjornsorn Award for best graduate student paper in Comparative Studies [2004]
  • August Alpers Student Leadership Award, School of Library and Information Science, Kent State University [2004]

PUBLICATIONS

Co-Editor with Emily Drabinski and Maria Accardi for Critical Library Instruction: Theories and Methods. Forthcoming form Library Juice Press, Fall 2009.

Please see the Writing page for a list of publications in the academic and alternative press.


PRESENTATIONS

  • "Queer Archiving from the Ground Up." Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Archives, Libraries, Museums, and Special Collections Conference (GLBT ALMS 2008). Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies (GLAGS), City University of New York. [May 2008]

  • "Beyond Accomodation: Enabling Transformative Access." Thinking Critically: Alternative Methods and Perspectives in Information Studies. Center for Information Policy and Reseach, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee [May 2008]

  • "Radical Library Resources." With Aiden Graham. Boston Skillshare. [April 2008]

  • "Drag Kings of New Orleans: Documenting Cultural History." With Cristina Hernandez. American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference. Presentation sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Round Table. [June 2006]

  • "Path to the Ph.D." Invited panel presentation. ALA Spectrum Institute. [June 2006]

  • "Haunting the Archives: History, Memory and the (Im)Material." Space, Haunting, Discourse Conference. Karlstad, Sweden. [June 2006]

  • "Genetic Genealogy: Bodies of Data at the Limits of the Archive." Archival Bodies: Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference. [February 2006]


  • "Drag Kinging: Politics, Performance, and Community.” Invited presentation, Newcomb College Center for Research on Women. [March 2005]
  • "When Drag Kings Meet the IRB: An Exploration into the Methods and Ethics of Oral History." With Cristina Hernandez. Women’s and Gender Studies Section, Southwestern Social Science Association. [March 25, 2005]
  • "Negotiating the Archives: History, Memory and Representation." Libraries, Archives, Museums and Popular Culture Area. Southwest/Texas Popular Culture Association. [February 2005]
  • "Queering Diabetes." Queer Matters, London, England. [May 28, 2004]
  • "Resignifying AIDS: Queer (Photo)Graphics." Protest Issues and Actions Section. Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Annual Conference. [April 2000]
  • Presentations, panels and workshops at annual International Drag King Extravaganzas:

    "Making History." With Julia Applegate and Christa Orth [IDKE 8, 2006]

    "Documenting Drag King Culture." With Cristina Hernandez, Donna J. Troka, and Erin O’Neill [IDKE 6, 2004]

    "Performing Whiteness." With Donna J. Troka and Melanie Corn [IDKE 5, 2003]

    "Drag and Race." With Jennifer Kovar [IDKE 4, 2002]

    Academic conference coordinator [IDKE 2, 2000 and IDKE 3, 2001]

 

SERVICE

  • Volunteer reference librarian, Radical Reference [2005-present]

  • Curriculum Committee. Department of Comparative Studies, OSU [2006-2007]
  • Graduate Studies Committee. Department of Comparative Studies, OSU [2004-2006]
  • Volunteer, Community Research Partners, Columbus, Ohio.
    Conducted and composed literature reviews on student mobility and community building initiatives; developed filing system for electronic documents and newspaper clippings; assisted with the compilation of community data for research reports. [2002-2003]
  • Steering Committee Member. International Drag King Extravaganza [2003-2007]
  • Curriculum Committee. School of Library and Information Science, KSU [Fall 2003]

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • American Library Association: ACRL, WSS, GLBTRT

 

index : cv : bio : teaching : writing : projects : contact

Last updated June 1, 2009.