About Me

Beyond Latin and Greek, Roman history, and mythology, my teaching has centered on 'classical receptions,' i.e., how ancient materials are transmitted and transmuted in later cultures, with focuses on Underworld journeys and other depictions of the afterlife; science fiction, fantasy, and horror; and film.

​

Starting fall 2025, I'll be an Assistant Professor in the Department of Greek, Latin, and Classical Studies at Bryn Mawr College. I have held full-time teaching positions at Howard University (2022-25), Trinity University (2015-22), Bryn Mawr previously as a visitor (2014-15), Hollins University (2013-14), and Bard College (2004-13), including for the Bard Prison Initiative. I did my PhD at the University of Chicago (2005) and my BA at Reed College (1998).

​

Born in Nebraska, I was raised mostly in Colorado, and I have an abiding love for that combination of Great Plains and Front Range. Family ties link me to NYC, the San Francisco Bay area, Salt Spring Island, Amsterdam, and elsewhere--as does a love of learning new languages (10 and counting; I am a published translator of literature and scholarship). In the off-hours I enjoy spending time with my family (wife Jenny, toddler Abraham, and cat Faust), playing D&D, learning new languages, and baking.