Curriculum Vitae (pdf version)

Home: 216 Duke Lane, Lafayette, IN 47909
Office: Purdue University, Department of English, 500 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907
Web: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~baker59
Email: jackrbaker@purdue.edu

CV Quick Links

education | languages | grants, awards, and honors | publications | conference participation | invited presentations | teaching | technology experience | administrative service | service | professional memberships | references

Education

Ph.D. English
Purdue University (expected April 2010)
West Lafayette, IN
M.A. Medieval Studies
The Medieval Institute
Western Michigan University (May 2006)
Kalamazoo, MI
B.A. Philosophy and Worldview Studies
Cornerstone University (May 2003)
Grand Rapids, MI

Languages

Read with high proficiency: Old English, Middle English, Latin, Old Norse, Old Saxon
Read with proficiency: German

Grants, Awards, and Honors

Purdue Research Foundation Grant for Dissertation Writing for $2,500 (Summer 2009)
Received Peter C. Braeger Memorial Award, Essay on Middle Ages for "Eques Quondam Piusque Futurus: The Dialectical Transformation of Lancelot in the Morte Darthur." 77th Annual Literary Awards (2008)
Received Honorable Mention for the Peter C. Braeger Memorial Award, Essay on Middle Ages for "Heroism and Hlisa: The Transition from Secular Fame to Saintly Fame in Three Old English Texts." 76th Annual Literary Awards (2007)
Received Travel Grant for Art & Soul conference at Baylor University, Cornerstone University $500 (2003)
Humanities Division Honor Award for Outstanding Graduate, Cornerstone University (2003)

Publications

"A Tolkienian Reading of the Middle English Breton Lai Sir Orfeo as Fairy-Story." Neophilologus. [under review]

"A Latin Charm against Thieves in Cambridge, University Library MS Ff. 5.48, fol. 10v." Modern Language Notes. [under review]

“J. Robert Lennon’s Castle.” Book Review. Sycamore Review 22.1 (Winter/Spring 2010): forthcoming.

Teaching

Purdue University
Department of English (2006 — Present)

English 106: First Year Composition (You Are @)
Fall 2006, Spring 2007

In this syllabus approach to first year composition, students investigate their role as new students at (@) Purdue University. It stresses effective communication as vital to public life by emphasizing the rhetorical principles of ethos and kairos. The course is designed around visual rhetoric and emphasizes the art of crafting visually effective, community-oriented documents in various media. Assignments include a written rhetorical analysis of a visual document and a final project that asks students to find a local non-profit on the Internet and to analyze the rhetoric of its web presence. Course Text: Compose, Design, Advocate.

English 106: First Year Composition (Great Essays and Speeches)
Fall 2007, Spring 2008

By introducing students to the great essays and speeches of history, this course seeks to teach the vital role of composition and communication as an often times public act. We read Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Christine de Pizan, Simone Weil, and Jean Bethke Elshtain (to name only a few). There are three major writing assignments in the course. Students compose short responses to each piece we read, find a scholarly article and complete a three-part analysis of that article, and write a final paper on a related topic of their own choosing. I have also instituted grammar lessons, occurring at the beginning of the semester, for this course.

English 106: First Year Composition (Classic Fairy Tales)
Fall 2008, Spring 2009

This, my most recent approach to teaching composition, invites students to read some of the most beloved and traditional folk and fairy tales of the world. The familiarity students have with these tales allows them to share, discuss, and write about the genre in a personal way. We trace the origin of many classical fairy tales, confront evident prejudices, and evaluate recent media representations of these tales. To this end, we screen several of Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theater shorts and compose a comparison essay that addresses the written and visual media. By completing many of Diana Hacker's grammar exercises in the first weeks of class, students review the basics of grammar before they begin to compose course documents. Other assignments include a three-part analysis of a scholarly article and a final project that allows students to compose their own fairy tale based upon what we have learned throughout the semester. This final project also requires a reflective essay that describes and evaluates the rhetorical choices behind the creation of that story.

English 230: Great Narrative Works
Fall 2009

Because this course desires to explore the human condition in its attendant nuances—love, joy, pain, suffering, redemption, forgiveness, loss, reunion—we seek out these experiences in some of the most renowned pieces of literature of the Western world: The Odyssey, Beowulf, Paradise Lost, The Canterbury Tales, King Lear, The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Additional readings include essays by Alexander Pope, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Wendell Berry. At the heart of this course is the question, "What makes a narrative work Great?" To begin to answer this, we spend the first week defining narrative and story so that we may evaluate the semester's works as more than novices. In this vein, we conclude by reading Harry Potter, debating whether or not the series should be considered a great narrative work. Students compose Microthemes, a vocabulary journal, and a final paper, also completing a midterm and final exam. http://www.digitalparlor.org/courses/baker1/

English 420: Business Writing
Fall 2009 (two sections)

A course designed for advanced undergraduates from sundry majors throughout the university (e.g., business, management, agriculture, and the liberal arts). In this course, we introduce the principles and practices of successful and ethical business communication. Students craft employment documents, white papers, and finish the semester with a client-based service-learning project for a local non-profit organization. We begin with the employment project, which guides students through the job application process by teaching them that their documents must be crafted rhetorically. To complete the project, students must apply to a live job or internship. Each project in this course stresses both the quantity and quality of writing expected in the professional world and encourages collaboration and audience awareness. http://www.digitalparlor.org/courses/baker2/

Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Latin 101: Introduction to the Latin Language
Fall 2007, Spring 2008

Populated by all levels of undergraduate students, this course is the first level of Latin instruction at Purdue. In my class, I seek to tech Latin as both a grammatical and literary language. Course text: Wheelock's Latin.
Latin 102: Introduction to the Latin Language
Fall 2008, Spring 2009

This is the second semester of first year Latin at Purdue and is a continuation of Latin 101. Course text: Wheelock's Latin.


Western Michigan University
The Medieval Institute (Fall 2004 — Spring 2006)

Medieval 1450: Heroes and Villains of the Middle Ages
Fall 2004 — Spring 2006

Populated by all levels of undergraduate students, this interdisciplinary course introduces the history and literature of the medieval period through the theme of heroes and villains. Among the texts covered are The Song of Roland, Chretien's Yvain, Notker's Two Lives of Charlemagne, the Morte Darthur, and Barbara Rosenwein's A Short History of the Middle Ages. Assignments include a short paper, a midterm and final exam, and a capstone creative project. For this project, I have had an engineering student create a life-sized trebuchet that sent a massive rock flying the length of a football field, while another student who apprenticed in a smithy forged a replica of the Sutton Hoo pattern-welded sword.

Conference Participation

Papers Given

"Reasonable Renown: Dom and the Rational Assessment and Pronouncement of Glory and Fame." 45th International Congress on Medieval Studies. Western Michigan University. 2010.

"Old English Electronic Editions: a Generational Perspective." 43rd International Congress on Medieval Studies. Western Michigan University. 2008.

"For Leveful is with Force Force Of-Showve: Power-over and the Reeve's Tale." Princeton University Graduate Conference on Medieval Studies. Princeton University. 2007.

"The Transformation from Myth to Fairy-Story in the Middle English Breton Lai Sir Orfeo." 41st International Congress on Medieval Studies. Western Michigan University. 2006.

"Heroism and Hlisa: the Transition from Secular Fame to Saintly Fame in Three Old English Texts." 18th Annual Medieval Symposium. Indiana University. 2006.

"A Matter of Vision: Foresight and Second-sight in Njals Saga." 40th International Congress on Medieval Studies. Western Michigan University. 2005.

"Creation and Tolkien: a Response to God's Call toward man as Sub-Creator." Art & Soul Conference. Baylor University. 2003.

Service

Session Moderator. The 5th Annual Conference for Medieval Studies. Purdue University. 2007.

Session Organizer. "History and Legend: Mythopoeia in Medieval Literature." 41st International Congress on Medieval Studies. Western Michigan University. 2006.

Session Moderator. "More Tolkien." 40th International Congress on Medieval Studies. Western Michigan University. 2005.

Invited Presentations

"Κλεος Αφθιτον: Heroism, the Iliad, and Achilles' Imperishable Fame." Classics 181, Classical World Civilizations (Professor Nicholas K. Rauh). Purdue University. 2008.

"J. R. R. Tolkien's On Fairy Stories and Sir Orfeo." English 411, J. R. R. Tolkien (Professor Kip Robisch). Purdue University. 2008.

"J. R. R. Tolkien and Language." English 411, J. R. R. Tolkien (Professor Kip Robisch). Purdue University. 2008.

Introduction of Plenary Lecturer Eve Salisbury. The 6th Annual Conference on Medieval Studies. Purdue University. 2008.

Technology Experience

Project Associate
The Ælfric of Eynsham Project, National Endowment for the Humanities [NEH] Scholarly Editions Grants
2007 — Present

Performing manuscript coding in XML for the project. I also undertook a complete redesign of the project website. Collaborating with a group of scholars from around the world under the aegis of Professor Aaron Kleist and an advisory board of the world's top Anglo-Saxonists. "Using cutting-edge technology, this project will provide printed and electronic editions of key works by Ælfric that remain unpublished, partially published, or scattered through out-of-print texts, making these works accessible to non-specialists as well as to scholars of early English literature."
http://www.stoa.org/aelfric//index.html


Content Developer and Author
The Online Writing Lab (OWL), Purdue University
2006 — 2008

Researched, edited, and wrote the following content for the nationally acclaimed online writing resource.
Writing a Research Paper: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resrource/658/01/
Essay Writing: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/01/


Designer and Author
Comitatus Website
2008

Composed and redesigned the website for Comitatus, the medieval studies student organization at Purdue University, including the creation of a node dedicated solely to our annual conference. Designed using HTML and CSS.
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~comitatu/index.html


Webmaster
Medieval Institute Publications and The Medieval Institute, Western Michigan University
2004 — 2006

Provided online editing, web developing, and organizational support for the internationally renowned press. Maintained and edited the MIP online bookstore and webpage and made all newly published books available for order through the online store. Worked firsthand with the Director of the Medieval Institute to maintain the Medieval Institute website. Authored several pages including the "How to Apply" page for incoming students.

Administrative Service

Purdue University
Comitatus (2007 — 2009)

Conference Organizer
Fall 2008 — Spring 2009
The 7th Annual Conference on Medieval Studies, "Saints and Sinners of the Middle Ages." Plenary Speaker: Ann W. Astell (University of Notre Dame).

Organized the annual graduate student conference on medieval studies at Purdue University, including the selection of a plenary speaker, solicited and selected abstracts, planned sessions, communicated with presenters, pursued and procured funding, and created fliers.

Conference Assistant
Fall 2007 — Spring 2008
The 6th Annual Conference on Medieval Studies. Plenary Speaker: Eve Salisbury (Western Michigan University)

Met with the officers of Comitatus and helped plan the annual conference. Tasks included invitation of, and subsequent communication with, the plenary speaker, creation of fliers, reading abstracts, and organizing events.

Western Michigan University
The Medieval Institute (Fall 2005 — Spring 2006)

Student Board Member of the Medieval Institute
Fall 2005 — Spring 2006

As the president of the Goliardic Society, I served as a student member on the Board of the Medieval Institute. I was a liaison, serving to convey graduate student concerns to the other members of the board. When the Medieval Institute began its search for a new Director, I assisted in administrative duties related to this search.

Teaching Mentor and Peer Advisor for Medieval 1450
Fall 2005 — Spring 2006

Selected by the director of the Medieval Institute, Paul E. Szarmach, to serve as a graduate liaison and to provide advice and encouragement to my fellow graduate teaching assistants.

Cornerstone University
2002 — 2004

Writing Center Tutor 2002 — 2004
Provided tutoring, writing revision, and writing advice at the university Writing Center.

Writing Center Mentor
2002 — 2004
Assisted the director of the Writing Center, Dr. Stephen Neynaber, as a mentor for students on academic probation. Facilitated review and study sessions of up to 60 students and performed administrative duties.

Service

Co-President of Comitatus, the medieval studies student organization. Purdue University. 2008 — 2009.
Artistic Advertising Assistant for Comitatus and Medieval And Renaissance Studies. Purdue University. 2006 — 2009
Secretary of Comitatus, the medieval studies student organization. Purdue University. 2007 — 2008.
Literary Studies Representative, Graduate Student English Association. Purdue University. 2007 — 2008.
Co-President of the Goliardic Society, the medieval graduate student society. Western Michigan University. 2005 — 2006.

Professional Memberships

Medieval Academy of America
Modern Language Association
Conference on Christianity and Literature
Conference on Faith and History
The International Society for the Linguistics of English

References

Dorsey Armstrong
Associate Professor of English
Department of English, Purdue University
500 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2038
765-494-8576
darmstrong@purdue.edu

Ann W. Astell (Phone Reference Only)
Professor of Theology
Department of Theology, University of Notre Dame
333 Malloy Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
574-631-7811
aastell@nd.edu

Shaun F. D. Hughes
Professor of English
Department of English, Purdue University
500 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2038
765-494-3775
sfdh@purdue.edu

Aaron J. Kleist Research Associate Professor and Co-Chair; Chair of Humanities
Department of English, Biola University
13800 Biola Avenue
La Mirada, CA 90639
(562) 903-4824
aaron.kleist@biola.edu

Thomas H. Ohlgren
Professor of English
Department of English, Purdue University
500 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2038
765-463-0585
tohlgren@comcast.net

Paul E. Szarmach
Executive Director of the Medieval Academy of America, Editor, Speculum
The Medieval Academy of America
104 Mount Auburn St., 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138
617-491-1622
PES@MedievalAcademy.org