TRENT

M KAYS | CURRICULUM VITAE

Email: trent@trentmkays.com Website: www.trentmkays.com
Phone: 612-492-1159 Portfolio: www.teaching.trentmkays.com

EDUCATION
PhD (ABD), Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication 2010-Present
Department of Writing Studies; University of Minnesota expected June 2018
Dissertation: “Authority and Knowledge in the Networked Age: A Case
Study of the Green Pea Galaxy Discovery”
MA, Professional and Technical Writing 2009-2010
Department of Rhetoric and Writing; University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Thesis: “Identity as Performance and Narrative within Facebook”
BA, Professional and Technical Writing; BA, History 2006-2009
University of Arkansas at Little Rock

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Assistant Professor of English 2015-Present
Department of English and Foreign Languages, Hampton University
Lecturer of Writing 2013-2016
Department of English and Philosophy, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Teaching Fellow 2012-2014
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, University of Minnesota
Writing-Intensive Teaching Specialist 2013
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota
Research Assistant 2011-2012
Digital Humanities 2.0 Project, University of Minnesota
Graduate Instructor of Writing 2010-2015
Department of Writing Studies, University of Minnesota
Instructor of Composition 2009-2010
Department of Rhetoric and Writing, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Assistant Graduate Coordinator 2009
Department of Rhetoric and Writing, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Assistant Director and Tutor 2005-2008
University Writing Center, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

RESEARCH & TEACHING INTERESTS
New Media Rhetorical Theory Digital Rhetoric Digital Literacy
Writing Studies Professional Writing Public Writing Scientific Communication
Internet Studies First-Year Writing Online Learning Social Computing
Crowdsourcing Critical Pedagogy Social Movements Instructional Design

SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES
Publications
Forthcoming
Kays, Trent M. (Editor). The Pragmatics of Social Justice in Higher Education. Book proposal to be submitted to
punctum books.

Kays, Trent M. (Editor). The World Blown Open: Open Access, Open Education, and Open Knowledge for an
Uncertain Future. Book proposal submitted to Lever Press.

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Kays, Trent M. “Down with Racist Pedagogy.” Review of Performing Antiracist Pedagogy in Rhetoric, Writing,
and Communication, edited by Frankie Condon and Vershawn Ashanti Young. Currents in Teaching and Learning
(2017).

Kays, Trent M. “Education ≠ App.” Review of Education is Not an App: The Future of University Teaching in the
Internet Age, by Jonathan Poritz and Jonathan Rees. Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy (2017).

In Print
Wynne, Craig, Elizabeth Cuddy, Joyce Jarrett, Karima Jeffrey, Trent M Kays, and Joy McDonald (Eds). First-Year
Writing Guide: Twelfth Edition (2017). Littleton, MA: Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Gurak, Laura and Trent M Kays. “Blog and Wiki Discourse.” International Encyclopedia of Language and Social
Interaction (2015). Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell.

Kays, Trent M. "Digital Education and Oppression: Rethinking the Ethical Paradigm of the Digital Future."
International Review of Information Ethics 21 (2014): 64-71. Available Online: http://j.mp/digeduoppression.

Kays, Trent M. “Imagining the Engaged Academic.” In Media Res, a Media Commons Project (2014). Media
Commons, a Digital Scholarly Network. Available Online: http://j.mp/engagedacademic.

Kays, Trent M. “The Revision Cycle.” The Pedagogy Project (2015). HASTAC. Available Online:
http://bit.ly/revisioncycle.

Kays, Trent M. “Email Instruction in First-Year Writing Courses.” The Pedagogy Project (2015). HASTAC. Available
Online: http://bit.ly/emailinstruction.

Kays, Trent M. “Toward a Composition Made Whole.” Review of Toward a Composition Made Whole, by Jody
Shipka. Composition Studies 40.2 (2012): 149-151. Available Online: http://bit.ly/towardcomp.

Armfield, Dawn; Gurak, Laura; Kays, Trent M; and Joe Weinberg. “Technical Communication Education in a
Digital, Visual World.” IEEE International Professional Communication Proceedings (2012): 274-279. Available
Online: http://j.mp/techcommedu.

Public Writing
Kays, Trent M. “As a Professor and Gun Owner, I Know Firearms Have No Place on Campus.” The Huffington Post
(2015). Available Online: http://j.mp/nogunsoncampus.

Kays, Trent M. “Trouble with the Grading Curve.” USA Today College (2013). Available Online:
http://j.mp/gradingcurve.

Kays, Trent M. “Yes, You Are Entitled to Your Opinion…and I Want to Hear It.” The Conversation (2012).
Available Online: http://bit.ly/entitledopinion.

Kays, Trent M. “I Am What I Hate.” The Public Intellectuals Project (2012). Available Online:
http://j.mp/iamwhatihate.

Kays, Trent M. “5 Tips to Improve Writing in College.” USA Today College (2012). Available Online:
http://j.mp/fivewritingtips.

Kays, Trent M. “Open Access and the Duty of Higher Education.” The Huffington Post (2012). Available Online:
http://j.mp/openaccessduty.

Updated Dec 2017

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Kays, Trent M. “College is About Free Speech, Not Stamping Out Rights.” USA Today College (2012). Available
Online: http://j.mp/collegefreespeech.

Kays, Trent M. “Rebelling Against Blackboard with Posterous and TinyChat.” ProfHacker (2011). Available
Online: http://bit.ly/rebellingblackboard.

Kays, Trent M. Over 100 Op/Ed Articles for The Minnesota Daily (2011-2014). Available Online:
http://bit.ly/mndailyarchive.

Media Appearances
Kays, Trent M. Interview by Jess Bidgood for the New York Times (2017). Available Online:
http://j.mp/nytva94race.

Kays, Trent M. Interviewed by Rylonda Holloway for WHOV-TV News (2016). Available Online:
http://bit.ly/mosaiclgbt.

Kays, Trent M. Interviewed by Ernesto Preigo for Networked Researcher (2013). Available Online:
http://j.mp/peerinterview.

Kays, Trent M. Interviewed by Alex Friedrich for Minnesota Public Radio (2012). Available Online:
http://bit.ly/collegemoocs.

Grants
Kays, Trent M. “Establishing a LGBTQ Resource Center at Hampton University.” Funder: The Arcus Foundation;
Amount: $539,844. To be submitted.

Cuddy, Elizabeth, Kays, Trent M, and Craig Wynne. “Establishing a Digital Writing Studio in the Department of
English and Foreign Languages at Hampton University.” Funder: TBD; Amount: $36,117. Currently researching
funders.

Cuddy, Elizabeth, McDonald, Joy, Kays, Trent M, and Craig Wynne. “Producing First-Year Writing Teaching
Experience Videos at Hampton University.” Funder: The Reynolds Foundation; Amount: $10,552. Submitted and
Under Review.

Fellowships
Teaching Fellowship, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute; University of Minnesota. 2013-2014.

Fellowship, HASTAC Scholars Program; University of Minnesota. 2011-2012.

US Bank Fellowship in Technical Communication, Industrial Affiliates Program; University of Minnesota. 2010-
2011.

National Writing Project Fellowship, Little Rock Writing Project Summer Institute; University of Arkansas at Little
Rock. 2009.

Updated Dec 2017

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CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
“The States and Futures of Digital Rhetoric.” Special Format: Fishbowl. Rhetoric Society of America Conference.
Minneapolis, MN. 2018. Upcoming.

“Between Episteme and Doxa: (Re)Considering Corder’s “Argument as Emergence, Rhetoric as Love” for
Invention and Rhetoric in the Digital World.” Rhetoric Society of America Conference. Minneapolis, MN 2018.
Upcoming.

“Politics, Language, and Social Justice in the Classroom.” Conference on College Composition and
Communication. Kansas City, MO. 2018. Upcoming.

“But I Saw It On The Internet!”: Critical Thinking and Information Literacy in Higher Education and Beyond.
Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy. Savannah, GA. 2017. [Accepted but conference
cancelled due to hurricane]

The Pragmatics of Social Justice Informed Digital Pedagogy. Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference on College
Composition and Communication. Richmond, VA. 2017.

Aging in a Digital World. Association of Internet Researchers Conference. Berlin, Germany. 2016.

Materiality and Digital Spaces as Agents of Rhetorics of Change. Rhetoric Society of America Conference. Atlanta,
GA. 2016.

How an 80-Year-Old Retiree Changed the Way I Teach. Virginia Commonwealth University ALTfest. Richmond,
VA. 2016.

Digital (Writing) Publics and How Instructors Talk About Students. University of Connecticut Conference on the
Teaching of Writing. Storrs, CT. 2016. [Accepted but unable to attend due to health issue]

Building Connections across DH and Computers & Writing. HASTAC Conference. East Lansing, MI. 2015.

Hashtag Activism as Interventionist Practice in the Digital Age. HASTAC Conference. East Lansing, MI. 2015.

#GamerGate and Digital Threat in the Global Village. Addressing Change: Perceptions of Threat in Today’s World
Symposium. Minneapolis, MN. 2015.

Digital Narrative and Cultural Remembering. Southwest Popular/American Culture Association Conference.
Albuquerque, NM. 2015.

Identity, Participatory Networks, and WEB du Bois’ Double-Consciousness. Great Plains Alliance for Computers
and Writing. St Cloud, MN. 2014.

What It Means to be a Woman Online: The Historical, Racial, Legal, and Electronic Borders of Women’s Online
Rhetoric in Theory, PLATO, Facebook, and Twitter. Rhetoric Society of America Conference. San Antonio, TX.
2014.

Technology, Identity, and Agency in Occupy Wall Street. Rhetoric Society of America Conference. San Antonio,
TX. 2014.

Building an Open Professional Network through Twitter Chats: Teaching, Learning, and Co-Mentoring on Twitter.
Conference on College Composition and Communication. Indianapolis, IN. 2014.
Updated Dec 2017
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Anthony Weiner and the Surveillance State: Multimodality, Digital Publics, and Kairotic Spaces. Great Plains
Alliance for Computers and Writing. Minneapolis, MN. 2013.

Research Directions in Identity and the Internet. Association of Internet Researchers Conference. Denver, CO.
2013.

Cohorts without Borders: New Doctoral Subjects. HASTAC Conference. Toronto, Canada. 2013.

Digital Pedagogy at the End of the World. Minnesota Writing & English Conference. Bloomington, MN. 2013.

Tweet Me, Maybe? Conference on College Composition and Communication. Las Vegas, NV. 2013.

Expanding Access: Building Bridges within Digital Humanities. Modern Language Association Convention. Boston,
MA. 2013.

Sherpas on the Digital Mountain: the New Pedagogy of the Decentralized Writing Classroom. Great Plains
Alliance for Computers and Writing. Mankato, MN. 2012.

Reasons, Challenges, and Successes for Experimenting with New Media. Great Plains Alliance for Computers and
Writing. Mankato, MN. 2012.

Twitter and Social Media for Igniting Professional Learning Connections. National Council of Teachers of English
Convention. Las Vegas, NV. 2012.

Technical Communication Education in a Digital, Visual World. International Professional Communication
Conference. Orlando, FL. 2012.

Wikipedia, Ethos, and the Production of Knowledge. Wikimania International Conference. Washington, DC. 2012.

Announcing Presence in Online Composition Courses. Minnesota Writing & English Conference. Minneapolis,
MN. 2012.

Locating the Intersections of Expressivist Pedagogy and Digital Writing. Conference on College Composition and
Communication. St Louis, MO. 2012.

Integrating Online Identity Analysis and Web Presence Creation into Business and Professional Writing
Pedagogy. Association for Business Communication International Convention. Montreal, Canada. 2011.

Twitter, Expediency, and the Ethical Subject. Computers & Writing Conference. Ann Arbor, MI. 2011.

Locating Expressivism in First-Year Writing Courses. Minnesota Writing & English Conference. Brooklyn Park,
MN. 2011.

Collaborating as a Man: Faculty/Student Writing Collaborations Among Males. Rhetoric Society of America
Conference. Minneapolis, MN. 2010.

Is Blog Use Right for First-Year Writing Courses? Conference on College Composition and Communication.
Louisville, KY. 2010.

Updated Dec 2017

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Prop 8 and Civil Rights Denial: The Rhetoric of Contradiction and Convenience. University of Texas at Austin
American Studies Graduate Conference. Austin, TX. 2009.

Burke, Weaver, and the Wizard of Oz. OZ: The Yellow Brick Road in the 21st Century Conference. Arkadelphia,
AR. 2009.

Team Players in Writing Center Work: New Approaches to Creating Dynamic, Successful Partnerships between
Tutors, Administrators, and their Clients. International Writing Centers Association Conference. Las Vegas, NV.
2008.

Changing Cultural Perspectives and Preserving the Past: Collecting the Oral Histories of the Members of the Ira
Eaker Chapter of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society. Gulf South Summit on Service-Learning and Civic
Engagement through Higher Education. Nashville, TN. 2008.

Getting Down to Business: How Corporate Leadership Training Can Enhance Writing Center Conferences and
Build E’sprit de Corps. South Central Writing Centers Association Conference. Norman, OK. 2008.

Open Minds, an Open Door, and the 21 Qualities of Leadership: Developing Stronger Writing Center Interns to
Help Diverse Clients. International Writing Centers Association Conference. Houston, TX. 2007.

INVITED TALKS & WORKSHOPS
Apps and Tools for Capturing Voices, Sparking Imagination, and Transforming Learning. Assembly on Computers,
National Council of Teachers of English. St Louis, MO. 2017.

Apps and Technology Tools that Support Learning and Advocacy. Assembly on Computers, National Council of
Teachers of English. Atlanta, GA. 2016.

Social Media Ethics and the Cultural Logic of the Classroom. Teaching the Middle East and North Africa
Symposium, Christopher Newport University. Newport News, VA. 2016.

Vocabulary Development for the 21st Century Student. Hampton City Public Schools. Hampton, VA. 2016.

Contemplative Pedagogy and Digital Assignment Design. Contemplative Pedagogy: A Confluence of Teaching and
Learning Conference. Green Lake, WI. 2015.

Man Up: Breaking Down the Myths of Masculinity. The BOLD Project, University of Wisconsin-Stout. Menomonie,
WI. 2014.

Applications and Literacies for 21st Century Living. American Association of University Women. Minneapolis,
MN. 2014.
Multimodal Tools. Visit to Thomas Reynolds’ Doctoral Seminar, University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN. 2014.

Infographics, Timelines, and Other 21st Century Multimodal Tools for Student Projects. Teachers Teaching
Teachers, University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN. 2014.

What the Digital Means for Writing. Keynote Introduction, Minnesota English & Writing Conference. White Bear
Lake, MN. 2014.

21st Century Multimodal Tools for Student Projects. Minnesota English & Writing Conference. White Bear Lake,
MN. 2014.

Updated Dec 2017
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Transforming English Language Arts with Interconnecting Technologies. Assembly on Computers, National
Council of Teachers of English. Boston, MA. 2013.

Strategies for Helping Students Move from Product Thinking to Process Thinking. First-Year Composition
Development Workshop, University of Wisconsin-Stout. Menomonie, WI. 2013.

Integrating 21st Century Literacy Practices into Course Curriculum. Academy of Distinguished Teachers,
University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN. 2013.

Designing Writing Workshops for Every Age. Northwest Passage High School. Coon Rapids, MN. 2013.
Go Write About It: Writing for Yourself and Your Community. Northwest Passage High School. Coon Rapids, MN.
2013.

Social Media Pedagogy for Writing-Intensive Courses. Advanced Writing Instructor Symposium, University of
Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN. 2013.

Teaching with Social Media. Minnesota Writing & English Conference. Bloomington, MN. 2013.

Capturing Genealogical Anecdotes with Writing Technologies. Design4Imagination. Minneapolis, MN. 2013.
The Rhetoric of the Everyday. St Croix Preparatory Academy. Stillwater, MN. 2012.

Writing for Healing. Survive & Thrive Conference and Festival. St Cloud, MN. 2012.

Building Credibility with Audiences Through Writing. Minnesota Blogger Conference. Minneapolis, MN. 2012.

Focusing on Praxis in 21st Century Business Discourse. Advanced Writing Orientation, University of Minnesota.
Minneapolis, MN. 2012.

Multimodal Literacy Narratives in the First-Year Writing Classroom. First-Year Writing Symposium, University of
Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN. 2012.

Using Social Media in First-Year Writing. First-Year Writing Symposium, University of Minnesota. Minneapolis,
MN. 2011.

Misleading Book Titles: A Literacy Narrative. Teachers Write Back: A Reading by University of Minnesota First-
Year Writing Instructors. Minneapolis, MN. 2011.

Writing about Objects. Little Rock Writing Project Summer Invitational Institute. Little Rock, AR. 2009.

RELEVANT COURSES TAUGHT
Hampton University (2015-Present) University of Minnesota (2010-2015)
§ Written Communication 1 and 2 § University Writing
§ Writing and Producing for New Media § Business and Professional Writing
§ Rhetoric and Social Media § Scientific and Technical Presentations
§ Advanced Writing Theory and Practice § Technical and Professional Writing
§ University 101 § Rhetoric, Technology, and the Internet
University of Wisconsin-Stout (2013-2016) § Senior Project
§ Composition 1 and 2 § Introduction to Digital Literacies
§ Business Writing § Social Media: Practice and Critique
§ Technical Writing
§ Scientific Communication
Updated Dec 2017
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SERVICE
International
The Online Literacies Open Resource
• Editorial Board Member (2016-Present)
Emerging Learning Design Journal
• Manuscript Reviewer (2016-Present)
The Arnold P Gold Foundation
• Gold-Hope Tang, MD Humanism in Medicine Essay Contest Reviewer (2016, 2017)
Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy
• PraxisWiki Review Board Member (2015-Present)
Syllabus: A Journal of Course Syllabi
• Editorial Board Reviewer (2012-Present)
IEEE Professional Communication Society
• Conference Reviewer (2013)
National
National Council of Teachers of English
• Norman Mailer Writing Awards Program Judge (2017-Present)
CCCC Regional Summer Conference at San José State University
• Proposal Reviewer (2017)
First-Year Composition Twitter Chat (#FYCchat)
• Co-Moderator (2016-Present)
Emerging Learning Design Conference
• Conference Proposal Review Committee (2016-Present)
Digital Public Library of America
• Community Representative (2013-2016)
Great Plains Alliance for Computers and Writing
• Conference Committee (2013)
Digital Humanities Now
• Editor-at-Large (2012)
Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory (HASTAC)
• Scholar (2011-2012)
State
Minnesota Writing and English
• Social Media Coordinator (2013-2015)
• Webmaster (2013-2015)
• Conference Program Editor (2013)
• Conference Committee (2011-2015)
University
Hampton University
• Annual Read-In Committee
o Member (2016-Present)
• MOSAIC LGBTQ Student Group
o Advisor (2015-Present)
• Academic Catalog Committee
o Tech Advisor (2015-2016)
• The Hampton Script Student Newspaper
o Advisor (2016-2017)
University of Minnesota
• Pedagogical Praxis Committee; Council of Graduate Students
o Chair (2014)
Updated Dec 2017
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• Bologna Process Advisory Group

o Member (2012-2013)
• Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising; College of Liberal Arts
o Member (2012-2013)
• Assembly; College of Liberal Arts
o Member (2011-2013)
• Academic Civility Working Group; Student Conflict Resolution Center
o Member (2012)
• Digital Arts and Humanities Working Group; University Libraries
o Member (2011-2012)
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
• College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
o Graduate Commencement Marshal (2010)
• Chancellor’s Leadership Group
o Member (2009-2010)
• Graduate School Council
o Member (2009-2010)
• Academic Integrity and Grievance Committee
o Member (2009-2010)
• Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee
o Member (2009-2010)
Department
Hampton University, Department of English and Foreign Languages
• Digital Communications Committee
o Member (2015-Present)
• Recruitment and Retention Committee
o Member (2015-Present)
• First-Year Writing Committee
o Member (2015-Present)
University of Minnesota, Department of Writing Studies
• Council of Graduate Students
o Department Representative (2013-2014)
• Coakley Ames Writing Excellence Award Committee
o Member (2012, 2013)
• Graduate Studies Advisory Committee
o Member (2010-2012)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Quintilian and Declamation (Seminar), Rhetoric Society of America Conference (2016)

Argumentation (Seminar), Rhetoric Society of America Summer Institute (2013)

Rogue Publics in a Digital Age (Workshop), Rhetoric Society of America Summer Institute (2013)

Technology-Mediated Social Participation (Workshop), University of Maryland (2012)

Little Rock Writing Project (Workshop), University of Arkansas at Little Rock (2009)

Updated Dec 2017

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AWARDS & HONORS

Hampton University
• TRiO Student Support Services Program
o Teaching Appreciation Award (2017)
• Department of English and Foreign Languages
o Travel Award (2016)
University of Minnesota
• Department of Writing Studies
o James I Brown Teaching Excellence Award (2014)
o Conference Travel Award (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014)
• Council of Graduate Students
o Graduate Student Teaching Award (Nominated) (2014)
• Graduate and Professional Student Assembly
o Scholarly Travel Grant (2012, 2013, 2014)
• Board of Regents
o Student Representative (Search Finalist) (2012)
University of Wisconsin-Stout
• Department of English and Philosophy
o Conference Travel Award (2014)
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
• Office of Campus Life
o Harambee Award for Diversity (2010)
• University Writing Center
o Milton Stephens Award for Outstanding Service (2008)
o Write On! Award for Leadership and Client Service (2008)
o Volunteer Service Award (2007)
University of Maryland
• Summer Social Webshop Honorarium (2012)
University of Victoria
• Digital Humanities Summer Institute Tuition Scholarship (2012)
Associate for Computers and the Humanities
• Travel Bursary (2012)
International Association for Business Communication
• Convention Travel Award (2011)
The National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
• Love of Learning Award (2011)
• Membership (2010)
Alpha Epsilon Lambda Honor Society
• Membership (2010)

LANGUAGES
English (native language; fluent speaking, reading, and writing knowledge)
French (second language; intermediate speaking, reading, and writing knowledge)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Founding Lifetime Member, Global Society of Online Literacy Educators (GSOLE)
Member, Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR)
Member, Rhetoric Society of America (RSA)
Member, National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Member, IEEE Professional Communication Society (IEEE-PCS)
Updated Dec 2017
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Member, Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW)

Member, Association of Rhetoric and Writing Studies (ARWS)
Member, American Association of University Professors (AAUP)

Updated Dec 2017