August 19, 2016

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MILWAUKEE — Dr. Gerry Canavan, assistant professor of English, was recently named one of the 2016 Way Klingler Young Scholar Award recipients.

Canavan explores connections between our world and the world of science fiction, specifically in the context of ecology and the environment.

The award grants up to $32,000 to fund a one-semester sabbatical. Canavan will use his sabbatical and funds to visit the Eaton Collection of Science Fiction & Fantasy at the University of California–Riverside and the Ransom Center at the University of Texas.

Canavan will have time during his sabbatical to conduct research on early science fiction magazines and the personal papers of David Foster Wallace, as well as focus on his third book and getting it published.

"Ecologically, our future looks bleak," Canavan said. "Science fiction helps us look at issues in a new way — we can explore the idea of animal rights through the imaginations of writers who have already addressed the subject."

The Way Klingler Young Scholar Awards support promising young scholars in critical stages of their careers with awards up to $32,000. The awards are intended to fund $2,000 in operating costs and to cover 50 percent of salary to afford the recipient a one-semester sabbatical.