Chris is a PhD student in Rhetoric, Writing, and Linguistics. His teaching and research focuses broadly on social dimensions of teacher development, generative AI pedagogies, technical communication, and qualitative research methodologies. Chris’s case study dissertation aims to understand the social dimensions of Graduate Teaching Associates (GTAs) development as teachers using narrative and arts-based methods of inquiry. He is also working to develop a scholarly identity around sustainability and anti-consumerism, and currently leads an arts-based project titled Dumpster Treasures.

Chris is deeply committed to teaching and learning. He founded STEER, a teaching professionalization group run by and for GTAs that hosts weekly pedagogy meetings, brown bag discussions, peer observations, grading parties, and a teaching coffee hour. It is funded by a generous Hodges Better English grant. Since 2022, Chris has earned over $35,000 in grants and awards for research in Gen AI, teaching excellence, and for developing STEER. He has published a book chapter on using Gen AI for peer review and has several articles currently under review related to first-year composition, generative AI, and Writing Center transfer. He is also the Davis Editor for the International Journal of Nuclear Security. At UTK, Chris has taught First-Year Composition (English 101 and 102), Technical and Professional Writing (English 360), and in Fall 2025 will teach Writing in the Workplace (English 295).