A great teacher does more than just impart knowledge—they inspire students to apply and explore that knowledge in meaningful ways. Dr. Ashley Kniss, Associate Professor of English and Stevenson’s Director of Writing, exemplifies this approach. Through her tenure at Stevenson University, she has made a lasting impact, within the English Department and beyond.
Dr. Kniss’s contributions to Stevenson’s English courses are substantial and focused. She staffs and supervises all of the university’s first year writing classes like ENG 151 College Writing I and ENG 152 College Writing, but her expertise also shines in specialized courses such as ENG 281 American Horror Story and ENG 381 American Monsters. These classes delve deeply into her chosen field, enhancing the curriculum with her specialized knowledge.
Scholarly Achievements
Dr. Kniss’s career centers around horror and the Gothic genre, particularly in nineteenth-century American literature. Her dissertation, “The Last Things and the Gothic in Nineteenth-Century American Literature: Blended Frameworks in the Works of Poe, Hawthorne, and Dickinson,” explores how these authors engaged with Gothic conventions. You can read it here.
She has published widely, and you can also read her scholarship here:
- “The hand of deadly decay”: The Rotting Corpse, America’s Religious Tradition, and the Ethics of Green Burial in Poe’s “The Colloquy of Monos and Una”
- “Teaching Vandermeer’s Annihilation”
- “Farting Corpses and Ecohorror: Materiality and Disgust in Swiss Army Man”
Beyond her published scholarship, Dr. Kniss serves as an editor for the online journal Gothic Nature, which examines Gothic literature and related topics, especially ecohorror and ecoGothic. She is proud of her work in ecocritical studies, focusing on pressing environmental issues. One highlight from her editorial work is Issue 4, which features discussions on fungi in ecohorror—a current research interest of hers. online. As she told me in our interview, “I liked this issue because we ended up with a round table on two films, Gaia (2021) and In the Earth (2021), both of which were about the role of fungi in ecohorror. We also had a submission on a video game that features fungi. Fungi in Ecohorror is one of my current research interests, so I was thrilled to have so much interest in the subject in issue IV of the journal’s TV and Film Reviews section.” Check out the journal here.
Engagements and Public Appearances
Dr. Kniss has also been the driving force behind the establishment of Stevenson’s Writing Center, playing a key role in its founding. A university writing center is a crucial resource that provides students with personalized assistance in improving their writing skills. It offers a range of services, including one-on-one tutoring, workshops on various aspects of writing, and resources for writing research papers, essays, and creative pieces. The Writing Center helps students develop their ability to communicate effectively and think critically, which are essential skills for academic and professional success. In addition to her teaching duties, Dr. Kniss continues to support and develop this invaluable resource, ensuring that students have access to the guidance and tools they need to excel in their writing endeavors.
Looking Forward
Looking ahead, Dr. Kniss will present at the Society for the Study of the American Gothic, reflecting her extensive research in the field. She also has an upcoming article in Poe Studies. For those interested in her work, keep an eye on her future writings and presentations.