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. (ABD), Department of Comparative Studies, The Ohio State University
Passed candidacy exams in June 2005. Dissertation in progress.
Working dissertation title: "Ephemeral Material: Developing a Critical Archival Practice"
Advisor: Dr. Maurice E. Stevens

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]

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.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
  • Graduate Research Assistant, Columbus Program, School of Library and Information Science, Kent State University [2002-2003]
  • Library Assistant, Access Services, Howard Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University.
    Joint appointment in Circulation and Interlibrary Loan; supervised student workers on weekend shifts. [2000-2001]

 

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

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


PRESENTATIONS

  • "Resisting the Archive." 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. [forthcoming: 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 [forthcoming: 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 April 1, 2008.