Laura Schechter, PhD, MA, BA (Hons.)
Pronouns: she, her, hers
Contact
Full Lecturer, Faculty of Arts - English & Film Studies Dept
- lms3@ualberta.ca
Overview
About
Laura Schechter holds a PhD from the University of Alberta, and she continues to teach a wide range of courses in the Department of English and Film Studies. She also coordinates all sections of ENGL 199 (English for Engineering Students), and she is available for Honours essay supervision in English. In the past she has supervised projects on early modern recipes and representations of Morgan le Fay. Laura's research focuses on early modern gender, court culture, politicized writing, and Shakespeare, but she also happily researches late medieval materials, travel and exploration texts, and translation studies. She has published several articles and book chapters, with recent work in Pedagogy and the edited collection Shakespeare's Queens, and she often produces shorter book reviews and encyclopedia entries. Laura is at work on a monograph and also regularly presents at conferences.
As the past Coordinator of the Association of Canadian College and University Teachers of English (2012-2014) and of ESC: English Studies in Canada (2014-2017), Laura has developed a strong sense of project management and executive administration. Her work with ACCUTE allowed her the opportunity to take the lead in organizing two four-day conferences, held during Congress 2013 and Congress 2014, and she has organized other public events such as a Paradise Lost reading marathon and mini-symposia for her 300- and 400-level students. In 2023-24 Laura is the ATS Director at AASUA: she represents the interests of contract academics on campus and works with other constituents to set bargaining priorities for the next collective agreement. Laura is the recipient of a 2017 Faculty of Arts Teaching Award and a 2018 William Hardy Alexander Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, but she wouldn't have won without her fabulous students inspiring and challenging her at every turn.
Courses
ENGL 103 - Case Studies in Research
This variable content course introduces methods of literary research as an in-depth process through one or more case studies. Refer to the Class Schedule and the Department of English and Film Studies website for specific topics. This course cannot be repeated for credit. Note: Not to be taken by students with 6 units in approved junior English.
ENGL 199 - English for Engineering Students
This course aims to develop the student's ability to provide effective written and oral information. It will focus on instruction in fundamental writing skills, including building effective sentences and paragraphs, and on learning to communicate clearly across a range of genres and media used in academic and professional contexts, including correspondence and presentations. Students will be introduced to the principles of information gathering, analysis, and citation. Note: Restricted to students in the Faculty of Engineering only.
ENGL 215 - Reading Literature Across Time
An introduction to the history of literature by reading a wide range of texts across 800 years with a focus on cultural and social change. Prerequisite: 6 units of junior ENGL, or 3 units of junior ENGL and 3 units of junior WRS.