Lynn Keller is an esteemed literary scholar and Emerita Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her academic journey began with a B.A. from Stanford University, followed by an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. A leading voice in contemporary poetry studies, Keller’s research bridges literary modernism and postmodernism, often focusing on eco-criticism and gender. Over a distinguished career spanning four decades, she has held various key academic positions, including Director of the Center for Culture, History, and Environment at UW-Madison. Her notable publications and awards, such as the Guggenheim Fellowship and numerous university honors, reflect her impactful scholarship and teaching. She has shaped generations of students and scholars through her interdisciplinary work in literature and the environmental humanities. Keller’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service has made her a prominent figure in literary studies and a respected voice in discussions on poetry and environmental criticism.
Profile
🎓 Education
Lynn Keller’s academic foundation is distinguished by a rigorous education in English literature. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree “With Distinction” from Stanford University in 1973, reflecting early academic excellence. She pursued graduate studies at the University of Chicago, completing her M.A. in 1976 and her Ph.D. in 1981. Her dissertation, Heirs of the Modernists: John Ashbery, Elizabeth Bishop, and Robert Creeley, directed by renowned scholar Robert von Hallberg, received departmental honors and a prestigious Whiting Dissertation Fellowship. Throughout her graduate education, she was awarded multiple fellowships, including an Honorary Fellowship (1976–77) and an NEH Summer Stipend (1982). Her scholarly formation at the University of Chicago laid a strong theoretical and critical foundation that would inform her later work on modern and contemporary American poetry, ecopoetics, and feminist literary criticism. These early academic milestones positioned her for a highly accomplished career in academia and literary scholarship.
🧪 Experience
Lynn Keller has an extensive and impactful academic career, primarily at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she began as an Assistant Professor in 1981 and rose to Full Professor by 1994. She served as Director of the Center for Culture, History, and Environment (2016–2019), and was Faculty Associate there from 2009. She also held administrative roles including Director of Graduate Studies in the English Department and Director of the Lilly Teaching Fellows Program. Internationally, she was a Visiting Professor at Stockholm University in 2014. Her earlier teaching experience includes roles at DePaul University and The Mountain School in Vermont. Her interdisciplinary teaching and leadership within the environmental humanities and contemporary poetry studies have influenced curricular development and fostered cross-departmental collaboration. Now Emerita, Keller’s career reflects a sustained dedication to teaching, administration, and pioneering scholarship, with particular emphasis on literary innovation, poetic form, and environmental engagement.
🏅 Awards and Honors
Lynn Keller has received numerous prestigious awards and honors recognizing her scholarly excellence and teaching impact. She was named Bradshaw Knight Professor of Environmental Humanities (2016–2019) and Martha Meier Renk Bascom Professor of Poetry (2003–2019), titles reflecting her leadership in ecocriticism and poetic studies. Her research was supported by a Guggenheim Fellowship (2015–2016), one of the highest distinctions for scholars in the humanities. Other honors include a Senior Fellowship at UW’s Institute for Research in the Humanities, a Fellowship from the American Association of University Women, and a Vilas Associate Award. She received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1989 and has been nominated multiple times for NEH fellowships. Her dissertation was honored by her department and supported by a Whiting Fellowship. These accolades underscore her dual legacy as a leading researcher and an inspiring educator whose contributions continue to shape contemporary literary scholarship.
🔬 Research Focus
Lynn Keller’s research focuses on modern and contemporary American poetry, particularly in relation to ecopoetics, gender studies, and postmodern aesthetics. Her early scholarship examined the legacy of modernist poets such as Ashbery, Bishop, and Creeley, while her later work pivoted toward analyzing how contemporary poetry engages with environmental issues and nontraditional forms. As a pioneer in environmental humanities, Keller investigates how literature responds to ecological crises, emphasizing the intersection between poetic language and environmental ethics. She is known for drawing attention to lesser-known female poets and for her nuanced readings that explore the interplay of language, identity, and ecological consciousness. Her publications contribute significantly to feminist literary criticism and the evolving field of environmental criticism. Through her interdisciplinary lens, she highlights how poetry can serve as a critical medium for environmental thought and cultural reflection, making her a key figure in both literary and environmental scholarly communities.
✅ Conclusion
Lynn Keller is a distinguished literary scholar whose decades-long career integrates poetic analysis, environmental consciousness, and academic leadership, making her an influential figure in modern and contemporary poetry and ecocriticism.
Publications