Full CV

Education

2015-2020    University of Colorado Boulder, Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology

Cumulative GPA: 3.98, conferred 14 Dec. 2020.

Dissertation: Sounding Sápmi in Multimedia: Gender, Politics, and Indigenous Solidarity in Contemporary Sámi Music.

2015-2017    University of Colorado Boulder: Certificate in College Teaching

Graduate Teacher Program, Center for Teaching and Learning. 20 Oct. 2017.

2011-2015    Eastern Connecticut State University, Bachelor of Arts in Music

Summa Cum Laude, Cumulative GPA: 3.95, conferred 12 May 2015. Concentrations: Global Perspectives in Music History and Criticism; Music Theory and Composition; Minor: Women and Gender Studies

Collegiate Teaching and Library/Archives Experience:

Fairfield University, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, Head of Access Services

Since 2022   (Duties include: Management of Access Services department, team of 40+ full-time and part-time employees, and main library service point; physical resource and building oversight; database maintenance; library access assistance for research, teaching, and learning; committee work, cross-campus collaborations).

Augustana College, Visiting Assistant Professor of Scandinavian Studies, Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

Spring 2022 SCAN-240, Scandinavian Folklore and Fairytales

January 2021 SCAN-243, Tolkien and Norse Mythology, J-term literature intensive.

Fall 2021      SWED-212-01, Intermediate Swedish Language: Special topics in Swedish Translation.

2021-2022    Library and Archival Assistant, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College

(Duties included: Archival collections processing and description, catalog maintenance, instructional librarianship, library inventories, LibGuides creation, outreach, events, grant writing.)

University of Colorado Boulder: Graduate Part-Time Instructor & Teaching Assistant

Spring 2021 External Instructor, Waltz Music Library, University of Colorado Boulder (Remote position during COVID-19 pandemic)

Fall 2019      SCAN 3202 – Old Norse Mythology, Teaching Assistant, Instructor of record for recitation* sections

*classes of approximately 24-30 students taught by the TA once a week, as sections of a larger lecture classes taught by a professor twice a week.

Spring 2019 MUEL 3832 – Music in Literature, Graduate Instructor of Record

Fall 2018      MUEL 3822 – Words and Music, Graduate Instructor of Record

Spring 2018 MUEL 1832 – Appreciation of Music, Graduate Instructor of Record

Fall 2017      MUSC 1802 – Introduction to Music Styles and Ideas, Teaching Assistant, Included lecturing and lesson planning

Spring 2017 MUEL 1832 – Appreciation of Music, Graduate Instructor of Record

Fall 2016      MUSC 1802 – Introduction to Music Styles and Ideas, Teaching Assistant, Included lecturing and lesson planning

Spring 2016 MUEL 1832 – Appreciation of Music, Lead Teaching Assistant, Included lecturing and coordinating with grading assistants for all sections of the course.

Fall 2015      SCAN 2202 – The Vikings, Teaching Assistant, Instructor of record for recitation sections.

2016-2020    Technical Services and Processing Student Supervisor, Waltz Music Library, University of Colorado Boulder

(Duties included: assisting with acquisition workflows; maintaining circulating and archival collections, supervising undergraduate student workers; assisting in interviews and hiring of student workers; local-level cataloging; database maintenance; inclusive cataloging practices research)

Research and Scholarship Activities:

Books

Forthcoming:   Tolkien’s Norse Mythology: The Eddas, Sagas, and “The Lord of the Rings,” Hackett Publishing Company.

2023            Norse Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook: From Vikings to Valkyries, An Epic Who's Who in Old Norse Mythology, Adams Media, a division of Simon & Schuster.

Article Publications

2024 “’And the people sang in all the ways of the City’: A Speculative Ethnomusicology of Gondor,” Journal of Tolkien Research, Vol. 19: Iss. 1, Article 12.

2023 "Middle-earth’s Middleman: Exploring the Contradictory Positionalities of Faramir in J.R.R. Tolkien’s 'The Lord of the Rings'," Journal of Tolkien Research, Vol. 18: Iss. 2, Article 7.

2021 “Swenson News: Songs and Sounds that Cross the Atlantic,” Swedish American Genealogist, June 2021.

2018 “Voicing Sápmi, defending Sápmi: Environmental activism in Sámi popular music and music videos,” Journal of Scandinavian Cinema, special issue: Ecocritical Approaches to Scandinavian Visual Media, pp. 103-110.

2018 “North of ‘the West:’ Analytical Perspectives on Swedish Folk Music and Sámi Joik,” American Music Research Center Journal, Special Issue: World Music Theories, vol. 27, 2018, pp. 41-58. [and “Project Description,” pp. 5-6].

Conference Presentations

forthcoming: 2026 A Tale of Three Bridges: Metaphors in Morality between Medieval Literature and Tolkien's Middle-earth, Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies, Brooklyn, NY.

2023 Meet Them Where They Are: Adapting Teaching Technologies for Training and Retaining Student Library Staff, Access Services in Libraries, Atlanta, Georgia

2022 Sustaining memory, reliving the past: Intergenerational understandings of historical moments described in Sámi popular music, Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies, San Juan, Puerto Rico (hybrid)

2021 with Marit Shirin Carolasdotter: "Humans & Soil:" Indigenous Bodily Autonomy and International Artistic Collaboration, Society for Ethnomusicology, Virtual conference during COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 with Marit Shirin Carolasdotter: Indigenous Autonomy, Ecological Advocacy, and Creative Exploration: the “Humans & Soil” Project. Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies, Virtual conference during COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 with Linda Bagley and Clara Burns: Updated procedures and recommendations for best practices: Analyzing and Improving Subject Headings for Music Materials, MOUG [Music OCLC Users Group] Conference, Virtual conference during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 Music, Commercialized Ethnicity, and The Politics of Inclusion in Disney's Frozen. Society for Ethnomusicology, Virtual conference during COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 with Linda Bagley and Clara Burns: Underrepresented Collections in the Howard B. Waltz Music Library: Analyzing and Improving Subject Headings for Music Materials, Mountain-Plains Chapter, Music Library Association, Virtual conference during COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 “Reindeer are better than people?:” Indigenous Representation in Disney’s Frozen, Society for Ethnomusicology, Southwest Chapter: Greeley, Colorado, (Virtual conference during COVID-19 pandemic.

2019 Pop Feminism and Ethnicity Queered: Critiques of Colorblind Europe in Sámi Popular Music Videos, Elsa Laula Symposium: Umeå University: Umeå, Sweden

2019 Sami Popular Musicians and Digital Activism: Forging Transnational Indigenous Spaces, Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies: Madison, Wisconsin

2018 Place, Music, and the Moving Image: Popular Music Videos and Indigenous Sámi Activism, Society for Ethnomusicology, National Conference: Albuquerque, New Mexico

2018 Spoken Boundaries, Unspoken Activisms: Languages and Texts in Sámi Popular Music. Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies: Los Angeles, California

2018 Seeing is Believing: Sámi Political and Environmental Activism in Popular Music Videos. Society for Ethnomusicology, Southwest Chapter: Tucson, Arizona

2017 “You’re Not Worthy of Listening to This Song:” Language, Activism, and Boundaries in Sámi Popular Music. University of Colorado’s Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies Annual Graduate Student Research Showcase: Boulder, Colorado

2017 Whose Vision?: Sámi Self-Representation in the Eurovision Song Contest, Society for Ethnomusicology, National Conference: Denver, Colorado ; Society for Ethnomusicology, Southwest Chapter: Salt Lake City, Utah

2017 “‘Adopting Sweden:’ Performing Musical and Political Identities through Swedish Folk Dance and Fiddling in Boulder, Colorado” Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies: Minneapolis, Minnesota

2016 “The Jazz på Svenska Effect: Folk-Jazz and Tragic Americomania in Postwar Sweden” Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies: New Orleans, Louisiana

2016 “From Dear Old Stockholm to Utanmyra: The Politics of “Swedishness” and the Folk-Jazz of Jan Johansson,” Society for Ethnomusicology, Southwest Chapter: Albuquerque, New Mexico

2015 “Cultural Cohabitation: Swedish Jazz and the Folk Revival” National Conference for Undergraduate Research: Spokane, Washington

Guest Lectures and Invited Talks

2025 Guest speaker, 2025 Honors Program Graduation Reception, Eastern Connecticut State University

2022 “Living on Borrowed Sounds: Musicology and the Music Industry,” Eastern Connecticut State University: Introduction to Music Industry, MUS-160.

2022 "Gender, sexuality, and ethnicity in Sámi pop culture: An exploration of 21st-century Indigenous music, multimedia art, and film,” Lunchtime Lecture Series celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center.

2021 "Archival research methods in the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center," Guest lecture for SOAN 303, Society and Anthropology: Social Sciences Research Methods, Augustana College.

2021 with Linda Bagley and Clara Burns: “Underrepresented Collections in the Howard B. Waltz Music Library,” Northern Ohio Technical Services Librarians’ fall 2021 meeting.

2021 “An Ethnomusicologist’s Reflections on the Music Industry,” Eastern Connecticut State University: Introduction to Music Industry, MUS-160.

2021 “Pre-Classical Reform and Transition: The Fight for a New Germanic Musical Aesthetic,” Columbia University: Music Humanities, HUMA-UN1123, Sec. 024: Masterpieces of Western Music.

2020 “Intro to Jazz: 100+ Years of American Music History, and What to Listen For,” Appreciation of Music University of Colorado Boulder: MUEL 1832-001, Summer Session A

2019 “Digital Activism and Global Indigeneity in Sámi Popular Music,” Vaartoe Centre for Sámi Research, Umeå University, Sweden

2019 “Queering Imaged Sound: Gender and Anti-Colonial Commentary in Sámi Popular Music Videos,” Musicology Colloquium Series, University of Colorado Boulder

2018 “Epistemology and “Artivism” in Sápmi: The Poetry of Nils-Aslak Valkeapää in Context,” ENGL 3060-003, Modern and Contemporary Literature [Special Topic: Indigenous Eco-criticism]: University of Colorado Boulder

2017 Introductory lecture for the Nordic Club Film Night: film screening of Sámi film, Ofelas (Pathfinder), University of Colorado Boulder

Public Education and Interviews

2023 “Norse Mythology,” Recorded interview-lecture on Geek Vibes Nation with Tia Fabi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNd1pMyp6lU

2023 “Tolkien and Norse Myth,” interview- lecture on Dr. Jackson Crawford’s Norse mythology public education channels, available on Patreon and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaBL_VRJlMI&t=782s

2017 “A Miniature Ethnography: Highlights from a Research Trip to Swedish Sápmi,” SWEA-Denver (with livestream for SWEA International: Swedish Women’s Education Association), Denver, CO. October 16, 2017

2017           Interview on Sámi music research for SWEA (Swedish Women’s Education Association) International magazine, Forum, September 28, 2017, published in the Fall/Winter 2017 Issue.

2016 “A Trip Around Sweden: In Search of the Swedish Folk,” SWEA-Denver, Denver, Colorado. November 2, 2016

Honors, Grants, and Awards:

2021            Society for Ethnomusicology, North American Travel Award 

2020            Beverly Sears and Cynthia Schultz Graduate Student Grant, Graduate School, University of Colorado Boulder 

2019            Dean’s Graduate Student Grant, College of Music, University of Colorado Boulder 

2018            Kungl. Gustav Adolfs Akademien Resebidrag (travel grant), Sweden 

2016, 2018   Travel Grant, Office of the Dean of the Graduate School, University of Colorado Boulder 

2017            SWEA-MAME (Swedish Women’s Educational Association, Middle Americas Region) Stipendium Travel Grant 

2016            SWEA-Denver (Swedish Women’s Educational Association) Scholarship 

2016            Gunnél Thorsin-Hamm Memorial Scholarship, Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literature, University of Colorado Boulder

2015            Eastern Connecticut State University Outstanding Honors Thesis Award: “Cultural Cohabitation: Swedish Jazz and the Folk Revival” 

2011-2015    Eastern Connecticut State University School of Arts and Sciences, Dean’s List

2012-2013    ECSU Foundation Scholarship: Henry N and Frances Z. Winiarski Scholarship (renewed 2013-2014)

Service, Professional, and Volunteer Experience:

Service to the Profession:

2026            Conference Organizing Committee, Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies, Brooklyn/NYC, especially involved in events and exhibits.

2023-2026    Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Advisory Board Member 

2022-2025    Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies, Executive Board Member, History and Social Sciences chair 

2021            Reviewer / test user for the Digital Banjo Museum, project created by The Banjo Project and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

2017-2018    Secretary and communications officer/ webmaster, Society for Ethnomusicology, Southwest Chapter

2016-2017    American Music Research Center Journal, vol. 27, 2018, Special issue: World Music Theories, Guest student editor.

Service to Institutions and Departments:

2023-2026    Co-lead of the Organizational Culture Strategic Plan Working Group, DiMenna-Nyselius Library

Other DNL/ Fairfield University Committee work includes: Academic Commons Partnership; Disability Awareness Committee; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Committee; Alma/Primo Committee.

2021-2022    Collections Committee, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College

2017-2019    Graduate Musicology Society: Co-founder and Vice-President/Secretary, Newsletter Editor: University of Colorado Boulder

2017-2019    Music Library Committee, Graduate representative: University of Colorado Boulder

Professional Memberships:

2015-Present Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies

2014-2022    Society for Ethnomusicology [and Indigenous Music Special Interest Group]

2017-2020    CU Boulder Graduate Musicology Society member

2015-2020    CU Boulder LGBTQ Resource Center Ally Network member

Volunteer and Outreach Activities

2021            Quad Cities Archive Fair, exhibitor representing the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center’s resources for archival research and genealogy.

2017            Event volunteer and photographer, International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences, International Arctic Social Sciences Association, Umeå, Sweden

2016-2019    Photographer for several on-campus events at the University of Colorado Boulder:

  -Leyla McCalla, Graduate Musicology Society and Cultural Events Board, April 2019

-Roman Díaz and Afro-Cuban Group Ewe Odara, Graduate Musicology Society and the Cultural Events Board, April 2018

-Hijab Fashion Show, Center for Student Involvement, April 2017

-Swedish-American Ambassador Björn Lyrvall’s visit, Nordic Studies,   Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literature, March 2017  

-Conference of the Association of Swedish Teachers and Researchers in America (ASTRA), Hosted by CU Boulder, October 2016.

Other Work Experience in Education and Research:

2017-2020    Research assistant to Dr. Benjamin Teitelbaum. Professor of Ethnomusicology, University of Colorado Boulder.

(Duties included: scheduling interviews, communication with research networks, compiling data, transcribing interviews.)

2018-2019    Writing tutor for ELL graduate student in music performance.

2018            Substitute lecturer for SWED 1020 class, Swedish language class (A2 level), University of Colorado Boulder

2017            Research assistant to Dr. Krister Stoor, Professor of Sámi Studies, Umeå University, Sweden.

(Duties included: assisting at the International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences and Samiska Kyrkodagar [Sámi church days] as an event volunteer, photographer, and interpreter between English and Swedish.)

2012-2015    Office Assistant, Performing Arts Department, Eastern Connecticut State University

                     (Duties included: clerical support, design and distribution of promotional materials, helping at and organizing department events.)

2009-2014    Farm School teacher, Brown Farm, Scotland CT.

 (Educational summer program for children ages 5-10, designed and led weekly three-hour meetings which included organic gardening, animal care, arts and crafts, and structured play.)

Musical Performance Experience:

2017            University of Colorado Boulder Japanese Ensemble, taiko and shamisen

2017            University of Colorado Boulder Gamelan Ensemble

2014-2015    New Music at Eastern, composer and performer in several other student compositions.

2012-2015    Eastern’s Thread City Jazz Ensemble, piano, trumpet, Hammond Organ

2011-2015    Eastern Concert Band, trumpet        

2013, 2015   Eastern Brass Chamber Ensemble, trumpet                          

2013-2015    Eastern’s Thread City Frog Kickers (Old Time String Band), Banjo-ukulele

2014            Co-founder and director, ECSU Music Society’s Student-Run Jazz Combo

2014            Eastern’s Korean Samul Percussion Ensemble, janggo