Nicholas E. Miller, Ph.D.
EDUCATOR. SCHOLAR. DESIGNER.
I am a dedicated educator and scholar who specializes in literature, writing, and cultural studies. As a first-generation college student, I explored numerous majors before earning a B.A. in English from Michigan State University. Then, after years as the owner of a hospitality management company, I returned to academia and earned a Ph.D. in English from Washington University in St. Louis. Initially trained in early American literature, my scholarly work now focuses primarily on comics, media, and popular culture—with a particular interest in transmedia storytelling from a cultural studies perspective. In the classroom, I often use popular culture to develop media literacy and emphasize the importance of multimodal writing. When not teaching or writing, I enjoy running, indulging in ice cream, watching too much television with family, wandering through bookstores, and listening to K-pop albums on repeat.
Research Interests
My research explores how narratives are constructed and disseminated across media, including comics, music, and television. I focus on feminist and queer perspectives, examining issues such as media representation and the politics of gender and sexuality more broadly. My scholarship often intersects with cultural politics and social justice, particularly in terms of race, gender, and sexuality. Additionally, I am committed to innovative and inclusive teaching practices, as reflected in my work on syllabus design, culturally relevant pedagogy, and media literacy.
Testimonials
FORMER STUDENT
"I walked away from your class not just having gained knowledge, but passion. You don't just share the 'what'—you share the 'how' and the 'why' and all that fun stuff. There's a big difference between inspiring someone to think and inspiring someone to be an inspirer themselves. And you make your students want to be inspirers."
FACULTY COLLEAGUE
"His pedagogical approach, his knowledge of the discipline, and his interaction with students all reinforce what I already knew about his teaching as I walked into the class: that his students, his department, and the university all benefit greatly from having him around. I want to learn from him so that I can be a better teacher myself."
AWARDS COMMITTEE
"The review committee for the article prize enthusiastically praised your essay, calling it 'delightful and innovative,' and stating that 'in its careful consideration of constructions and expressions of feminism in various forms of Archie narratives and paratexts, it serves as an excellent model of how to do transmedia studies.'"