cv
curriculum vitae
academic appointments
2022-2023 Visiting Scholar & Diversity Predoctoral Fellow, Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
education
2023 PhD in Communication, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Dissertation: “PLOY : An Immigrant Daughter’s Archival Survival Strategy” (defended March 2023)
Advisor: Kimberlee Pérez
2020 Graduate Certificate of Advanced Feminist Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Department of Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies
2018 MA in Communication, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Thesis: “Asian American Heritage Seeking : Personal Narrative Performances of Ancestral Return”
2013 BA in International Studies and Spanish, University of Arkansas Little Rock
Magna Cum Laude Graduate of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program
professional experience
2013-2015 Interim Director of Study Abroad, University of Arkansas Little Rock
research, publications & creative work
Research Interests:
Storytelling, Performance Studies, (Southeast) Asian American Studies, U.S. Empire, Narrative, Literature, Queer & Women of Color Feminisms, Creative Writing
Journal Articles:
Alexander, B.K., Ayshia Elizabeth Stephenson, Katty Alhayek, Porntip Israsena Twishime, Timothy Sutton, Carmen Hernandez Ojeda, and Claudio Moreira. “‘I’m Sorry My Hair is Blocking Your Smile’: A Performative Assemblage and Intercultural Dialogue on the Politics of Hair and Place.” International Review of Qualitative Research. 2019. DOI: 10.1525/irqr.2019.12.4.339 Awarded the 2020 Ellis-Bochner Autoethnography and Personal Narrative Research Award.(Listen to Porntip read an excerpt here!)
Invited Book Chapter:
“Asian American Return Narratives: US Empire, Race, Belonging, and Education Abroad.” In Historically Underrepresented Faculty and Students in Education Abroad: Wandering Where We Belong. Seneca Vaught, Linda Lyons, and Devin Walker, Eds. Palgrave MacMillan, pp. 235-256.
Selected Creative Research:
“for a good time.” not your abg. Curated by Dr. Thaomi Michelle Dinh. September 2021. Zine. https://issuu.com/tmd./docs/not_your_abg_zine
“Returning Still.” Arts-based Research Digital Art Show. Curated by Dr. Sally Campbell. University of Massachusetts Amherst. May 2019. Web. www.sallyanncampbell.com/arts-based-research
Public Scholarship:
“Asian American Stories.” Open-access course syllabus for an upper-level, undergraduate seminar. In THROUGHLINES by Kaya Press, Issue 3
Research Assistantships:
University of Massachusetts Amherst
2021-2022 Anti-racist Pedagogy Research Assistant for Dr. Leda Cooks, Communication
2020-2021 Research Assistant for Dr. Miliann Kang, Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies
2018 Civic Engagement & Oral History Research Assistant for Dr. Richard Chu, History
fellowships, grants & scholarships
2022-2023 Diversity Predoctoral Fellowship, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2022-2023 Semi-Finalist, Emerging Writer Fellowship, GrubStreet, Boston, Massachusetts
2018-2022 Research Enhancement and Leadership Fellowship, University of Massachusetts Amherst
2022 Creative Writing Scholarship, Individual, The Shipman Agency, $125
2021 Creative Writing Scholarship, Individual, GrubStreet Creative Writing Center, $200
2019 Predissertation Research Grant, Individual, University of Massachusetts Amherst, $1000
2018-2019 Interdisciplinary Studies Institute Fellowship, University of Massachusetts Amherst
2012 Gilman International Scholarship, Individual, U.S. Department of State, $5000
research awards & honors
2022 Marie J Robinson Award for Potential to Impact Field of Performance Studies in Communication
Performance Studies Division, National Communication Association
2020 Ellis-Bochner Autoethnography and Personal Narrative Research Award
The Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction, National Communication Association
2019 Top Contributed Student Paper in Performance Studies
Performance Studies Division, National Communication Association
2013 Marco Polo Award for Outstanding International Studies Graduate of the Year
Department of Political Science, University of Arkansas Little Rock
selected presentations, workshops & invited talks
Invited Talks & Workshops:
2022 “‘The Fermentation Rituals’ and Intimacy Across Difference.” Lecture for an Intercultural Communication Seminar, convened by Prof. Goyland Williams, University of Hartford
2022 “Navigating Difficult Moments in the Classroom.” Pedagogical workshop for Graduate Instructors in Communication, University of Massachusetts Amherst
2021 “Difficult & Potentially Controversial Class Discussions.” Pedagogical workshops for the Teaching Academy, University of Massachusetts Amherst
2020 “Public Speaking: A Series of Choices.” Workshop series co-designed with Dr. Kimberlee Pérez for the New England Climate Adaptation Science Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Juried Conference Presentations:
2023 “From Archives to Fiction: A Creative Writing Research Methodology.” Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS) Conference. Long Beach, California.
2022 “Literature as Performance.” To be presented on the Top Student Paper Panel in the Performance Studies Division at the National Communication Association. New Orleans, Louisiana.
2022 “Collaborative Autoethnographic Writing as Communal Curative.” Presented at the International Congress for Qualitative Inquiry with co-authors. Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.
2022 “The Autobiographical Novel as Genre & Methodology.” Association for Asian American Studies. Denver, Colorado.
2022 “Asian American Return Narratives: US Empire, Race, Belonging, and Education Abroad.” Association for Asian American Studies. Denver, Colorado.
2021 “We Must Remember Ourselves: A Feminist of Color Genealogy of Performative Writing.” Performance Studies Division, National Communication Association. Seattle, Washington. Top Student Paper Panel. * Unable to attend due to Covid-19 *
2021 “‘RESIDENT ALIEN’ : U.S. Migration Beyond the Moment of Entry.” Southeast Asian American Studies. San Jose, California.
2021 “Inter and Enter: An Invitation to (Collaborative) Autoethnography at the Intersections.” International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry with co-authors. Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.
2021 “Other ‘Racial Asymmetries’ : Asian American Narrative Strategies.” Association for Asian American Studies. Seattle, Washington.
2021 “Literature as a Performative and Relational Site of Queer Intimacy.” Interpretation and Performance Interest Group, Eastern Communication Association. Cambridge, Massachusetts.
2020 “A Letter to Feminists of Color On Aesthetics & Illiberal Humanisms.” Feminist & Gender Studies Division, National Communication Association. Indianapolis, Indiana.
2019 “(Re)productivity: Am I at the Gynecologist’s or at the University?” with Carmen Hernandez Ojeda and Victoria Alcazar. Performance Studies Division, National Communication Association Convention, Baltimore, Maryland. Top Student Paper Award.
2019 “‘I’m Sorry My Hair is Blocking Your Smile’: A Performative Assemblage and Intercultural Dialogue on the Politics of Hair and Place.” International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry with co-authors Urbana-Champaign, Illinois.
2019 “Performing to Transform: Scholars of Color on the Future of the Discipline.” Interpretation and Performance Interest Group, Eastern Communication Association with Carmen Hernandez Ojeda and Victoria Alcazar. Providence, Rhode Island. April 2019. Top Student Paper Panel.
2018 “Asian American Belongings & the Transnational Body: Performing Heritage Seeking.” Performance Studies Division, National Communication Association. Salt Lake City, Utah. Top Student Paper Panel.
2017 “Belonging, the Body, and Dis/orientation: Challenges of a Heritage-Seeker.” Southeast Asian American Studies. Lowell, Massachusetts.
teaching
Teaching Awards:
2022 Nominee, Distinguished Teaching Award, University of Massachusetts Amherst
2019 Finalist, Distinguished Teaching Award, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Courses Taught:
Department of Communication, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Comm 125 Intro to Rhetoric & Performance Studies
Comm 191 First Year Seminar for Comm Majors
Comm 260 Public Speaking
Comm 497SR Stories of Race in the United States
Other Forms of Teaching & Instruction:
2021-2022 Writing Coach, Commonwealth Honors College, University of Massachusetts Amherst
For access to my full CV, please email me at porntip(at)mit.edu