Tag Archives: UC Davis

Essay from Worlds of Steampunk Exhibition

Posted on September 28, 2020 by nathanielwms

NOTE: UC Davis Librarian Roberto Delgadillo asked me to write this essay for Shields Library’s exhibition Worlds of Steampunk: Fiction, Art, Fashion and Culture in 2012. The online display has been taken down, so I’m reprinting it here before the … Continue reading →

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August Updates: Book and Articles

Posted on August 12, 2019 by nathanielwms

My American Novels to 1900 class for UC Davis started last week, and I’m finishing up some big projects before fully diving into that pool. First, I’m doing final proofreading review for my “Science and Technology” chapter of Cambridge University … Continue reading →

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Summer UC Davis Class: American Novel to 1900

Posted on April 26, 2019 by nathanielwms

This summer, I’ll be teaching the “American Novel to 1900” course for UC Davis English Department. The full information is on their course schedule page. The first three novels we’ll cover in the six-week class: The Female American, Winkfield (1767) … Continue reading →

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The Updates Before Christmas

Posted on December 21, 2018 by nathanielwms

The quarter at UC Davis is over, and I’m spending most of my time revising a 4,000-word entry on “Science and Technology” for Mark Twain in Context, a book forthcoming from Cambridge U Press. It’s a joy to read/re-read some … Continue reading →

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Projects from Steampunk Freshman Seminar 2018

Posted on November 29, 2018 by nathanielwms

This week, students in my Fall 2018 “First-Year Seminar” on steampunk turned in their first round of creative projects. The assignment asks them to “steampunk a common object.” As you can see from the photo below, I got some clever … Continue reading →

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Teaching Fantasy Class at Oxford

Posted on June 15, 2018 by nathanielwms

This summer, it will be my honor to cover Dr. Amy Clarke’s regular UC Davis Study Abroad class called Oxford: Portal to Fantasy. Right now, I’m having a wonderful time revisiting some classics (and reading a few new ones). The … Continue reading →

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Steampunk Class Projects

Posted on May 7, 2018 by nathanielwms

Last quarter, I finished up another section of my UC Davis first-year seminar on Steampunk. Fifteen students came on board to read the VanderMeer’s short story collection, the original League of Extraordinary Gentlemen graphic novel, and watch Wild Wild West … Continue reading →

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Summer Poetry Class on “Love and Desire”

Posted on July 15, 2017 by nathanielwms

Starting in August, I’ll be teaching a section for UC Davis’ English Department. The class is called “Love and Desire in Contemporary Poetry” (a regularly offered course at UCD). My reading list: Collected Poems, 1947-1997, Allen Ginsberg The Dream of … Continue reading →

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Mark Twain “Travel and Technocracy” Class at UC Davis

Posted on May 4, 2015 by nathanielwms

The course announcement for my UC Davis “Studies in an Individual Author” class on Mark Twain went live a few weeks ago.  I’m posting the link and a screen clip here. We’re focusing on travel and technocracy, especially stories where … Continue reading →

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What Stories Were Most Popular in SF Course?

Posted on September 17, 2014 by nathanielwms

I’ve submitted final grades for my summer Science Fiction class at UC Davis.  I will post some more info about the class in the coming weeks, including a lesson plan or two for any teachers out there looking for suggestions. … Continue reading →

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Defining Science Fiction: A Writing Assignment

Posted on August 18, 2014 by nathanielwms

For the first paper of my summer SF class, I had them think about what we mean when we say “science fiction.”  Here’s the paper assignment (for anyone playing along at home): For the first paper, you will defend a … Continue reading →

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Forthcoming Westerfeld and Labalestier Interview

Posted on February 24, 2014 by nathanielwms

Last week, Laurie Glover and I interviewed authors Scott Westerfeld and Justine Labalestier for UC Davis’s interdisciplinary writing journal, Writing on the Edge.  I’ve been transcribing and editing for the past few days with a February 28th deadline. We discussed … Continue reading →

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Steampunk Final Exam, Part 2

Posted on January 23, 2014 by nathanielwms

As promised, here is the second half of the final questions I posed to students in my Steampunk first-year seminar at UC Davis.  This was the essay portion of the exam, and their answers were thoughtful. Instructions: Take a position … Continue reading →

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UC Davis Steampunk Seminar–Full Steam Ahead!

Posted on July 18, 2013 by nathanielwms

Quick note: my First-Year Seminar on Steampunk was approved by University of California, Davis.  I’m looking forward to it.  I tried to pick texts/media that are appropriate for a 2 hr, once-a-week class designed for small-group, interpersonal work and creative … Continue reading →

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A Steampunk Class at UC Davis?

Posted on June 26, 2013 by nathanielwms

This week, I’m proposing a section of UC Davis’s First-Year Seminar program focused on steampunk.  I’ve really wanted to teach it from a perspective that goes beyond just the literature, so this course will incorporate design, costuming, retro-fitting, and gaming … Continue reading →

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Final Exam Questions: Steampunk, Nostalgia, SF Novels

Posted on June 12, 2013 by nathanielwms

Because it’s finals week at UC Davis, I thought I’d go ahead and publicly post the final exam questions from last quarter’s novels class on nostalgia and desiderium.  Here’s a taste of the questions I asked.  Students could write about … Continue reading →

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Intro to Steampunk Exhibit

Posted on March 22, 2013 by nathanielwms

Earlier this school year, I contributed an introductory essay for “Worlds of Steampunk: Fiction, Art, Fashion, and Culture,” a multimedia exhibit at UC Davis’s Shields Library.  Research librarians Roberto C. Delgadillo and Marcia Meister have created an invaluable resource for … Continue reading →

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