I am thrilled to be pursuing a Ph.D. at Rice University, which I began in Fall 2022. My student page, which in turn points to this webpage, can be found here.

As a third-year student preparing for my comprehensive examinations, I am refining my research focus/foci, but as an older (the oft-used term “non-traditional”) student I bring years of experience in the field of religion. I see my work focusing in three areas:

Religion, Medicine, and Care. My research interests are at the intersection of healthcare practices, ethical self-formation, and theories of care. The question that continues to press me is the question of the place of the “human” within this care and how we can harness the capacity of narrative and belief to care for ourselves and each other. I am committed to researching what it means to care for one another at the intersection of illness and wholeness.

History of Religions. I am a comparativist by experience and training, working for many years in interreligious dialogue. I hold a deep interest in the history of religion(s), particularly the history of religion(s) in America, which has been a field of study since my American Studies years in college.

Energizing the Humanities. In our STEM world, I more and more see the need for a robust and active place for the humanities. They are not secondary, a luxury, or irrelevant. I am also deeply invested in the power of education. No matter where I have been in my career, the role of teacher and guide has been at the core of my identity and my vocation. I see the need for the continued focus on the importance of the humanities, and I want my scholarship and my teaching to contribute to forwarding the humanities in the 21st century.