Aaron Cloyd, PhD

Associate Professor

Department

English

Education

Ph.D., University of Kentucky, English
Graduate Certificate, University of Kentucky, College Teaching and Learning
M.A., Idaho State University, English
B.A., Multnomah University, Theology / History
A.A., Northern Wyoming Community College, Fine Arts

Contact Information

LYNG 208F

Office Hours

Monday: 8:30-4:30, by appt.
Tuesday: 8:30-4:30, by appt.
Wednesday: 8:30-4:30, by appt.
Thursday: 8:30-4:30, by appt.
Friday: 8:30-4:30, by appt.
Saturday:
Sunday:

Bio

I grew up between the Rocky and Sierra Madre Mountains, along the North Platte River in southern Wyoming, and these images of interactions with land have deeply informed my life and academic career.

I completed my undergraduate work at Multnomah University, in Portland, Oregon, before receiving a master’s degree in English from Idaho State University, where I wrote a thesis on ideas of place as portrayed in the short stories of Alice Munro. My Ph.D. work, at the University of Kentucky, culminated in a dissertation on wilderness rewilding in contemporary American literature. When not writing or teaching, I often pretend that I’m more than a hobby farmer in my backyard, and on occasional hikes, I still wonder if androids dream of electric sheep.

My Favorite Course to Teach

I love teaching American literature, especially literature that helps us consider our posture within natural environments.

Scholarly and Creative Works

  • Norton Sampler Instructors Manual. 11th ed., Norton, 2024.

  • “Wilderness 2.0: Redefining and Rewilding Wilderness in Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses.” Critical Insights: All the Pretty Horses, edited by Laura Nicosia and James Nicosia, 2023, pp. 34-48.

  • “To Wait” and “Relinquishment.” Oakwood. 2023.

  • “Reimagining Rewilding: A Response to Jørgensen, Prior, and Ward.” Geoforum. 76 (2016): 59-62.
  • “Electric Nature: (Re)Constructing Wilderness in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts. 26.1 (2015): 76-91.
  • “Voices from the Margins: The Place of Wilderness in Watchmen.” International Journal of Comic Art. 16.1 (2014): 223-243.
  • “A Posture of Removal: Mary Rowlandson’s Location, Position, and Displacement.” disClosure. 23 (2014): 78-90.

Awards and Grants

  • Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year. North Idaho College. 2022.
  • Student Club Advisor of the Year. North Idaho College. 2019.
  • Study Abroad Program Grant Recipient. North Idaho College. 2018-2019.
  • Dissertation Writing Fellowship. University of Kentucky. 2014.
  • Outstanding Literature or Film Teaching Assistant. University of Kentucky. 2014.
  • Graduate Student Teacher of the Year. Idaho State University. 2010.
  • Baccalaureate Speaker. Multnomah University. 2005.             

Professional Affiliations and Memberships

  • Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment
  • Western Literature Association
  • Modern Language Association