Download Karen Rossi Schnakenberg - Carnegie Mellon University

Karen Rossi Schnakenberg
7011 Reynolds Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
412-731-3046
Teaching Professor of Rhetoric & Writing
Department of English
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
[email protected]
Education
Ph.D. in Rhetoric
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, May 1996
Concentrations: rhetorical theory & history, pedagogy and curriculum development, history of
English studies, writing in special disciplines
Dissertation: Representations of Aristotle’s Rhetoric in American Rhetorical Scholarship: 1950 1965. National finalist for the 1996 NCTE Berlin Outstanding Dissertation Award in Rhetoric and
Composition.
Committee
Richard L. Enos, Department of English, Texas Christian University, Co-Chair
Richard E. Young, Department of English, Carnegie Mellon University, Co-Chair
John Poulakos, Department of Communications, University of Pittsburgh
Master of Arts in English
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 1969
Woodrow Wilson Fellowship for Graduate Study
Concentrations: 19th and 20th century drama, Shakespeare, poetry
Bachelor of Arts in English
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 1968
Honors Thesis: Conflicts of Reason and Emotion in The Brothers Karamazov
Academic Positions
Carnegie Mellon University, Department of English
Emeritus Teaching Professor of Rhetoric & Writing, June 2011 to present
Teaching Professor of Rhetoric & Writing, 2005 to 2011
Associate Teaching Professor in Rhetoric and Professional Writing, fall 1995 to 2005
Instructor, Department of English, fall 1994 to spring 1995
Teaching Fellow, fall 1988 to spring 1993
Carlow College
Adjunct Instructor, English Department, fall 1984 to spring 1988
Writing Specialist, Learning Center, fall 1987 to spring 1988
Community College of Allegheny County, South Campus
Adjunct Instructor, Communications Department, 1983 to 1985
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Karen Rossi Schnakenberg
Teaching & Curriculum Development
Carnegie Mellon University
Developer and Supervisor for a new MLitt in Investigative Journalism degree, offered as an
option within the MA in Professional Writing at Carnegie Mellon, beginning fall 2008. The degree
is offered in conjunction with the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.
Primary Developer for revised curriculum for the BA in Professional Writing at Carnegie Mellon.
Primary Developer for a major revision of the curriculum for the BS in Technical Communication
at Carnegie Mellon, moving the degree from a 1950’s paradigm to one more consonant with the
current profession. The revised degree includes two tracks, one in technical writing, particularly for
the software industry, and one in scientific and medical communication.
Primary Developer of revised Minors in Professional and Technical Writing at Carnegie Mellon.
Developer and Seminar Leader for a Ph.D. required core course in the History, Theory, and
Practice of Writing Instruction at Carnegie Mellon. The course combines units on the history of
writing instruction in the US; relevant theories of learning and instructional design; current research
on the teaching of writing; and hands-on experience in developing and defending a specific
curriculum for teaching writing at the college level. The design and method model the procedures
featured in the course. Fall 1998 - present.
Developer and Seminar Leader for a core course in Professional & Technical Writing required for
the MA in Professional Writing degree at Carnegie Mellon. The course features a strongly
situational and rhetorical approach to key genres of professional communication, including an
administrative report to support decision-making, internal and external correspondence,
instructional writing, and explaining expert material to non-experts with a need to understand and/or
use it. Fall 1998 to present.
Developer and Seminar Leader for an undergrad/ master’s level course in Instructional
Development and Design that combines extended work in theories of learning and instruction with
hands-on development of instructional projects for specific situations and audiences. The course
differs from conventional ID courses in that it includes substantive work in multiple learning
theories and a systematic but flexible method of ID appropriate for both academic majors pursuing
teaching interests and writing majors pursuing careers in non-academic settings including
technology-intensive organizations and any organizations requiring training or instruction for
employees, clients, and customers. Spring 1998 to Spring 2002.
Designer and Instructor for a required foundations course in technical, media, and professional
writing designed for majors in both technical and professional writing at Carnegie Mellon.
Developed all curriculum and course materials including original units on developing a job-centered
writing portfolio, writing about scientific and medical issues for lay audiences, improving consumer
product information, and developing and testing user manuals for computer software. I taught and
continued to develop original assignments for the course for 9 years, beginning in fall 1995 and then
for several years supervised PhD students in Rhetoric teaching the course.
KRS Vita, Page 2
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Karen Rossi Schnakenberg
Designer and Instructor for an outreach course in professional writing for students in majors
across the university. Designed and developed all course materials and taught the course for 3 years.
Beginning in 1999, I began training and supervising PhD students in Rhetoric teaching 4-6 sections
per year. The course has a strong infrastructure of assignments, readings, and class plans, that make
it possible for PhD students to teach it successfully on their first attempt and then gain experience
adding to and refining the curricular materials. The course is a core requirement for the H&SS
Minor in Multimedia Production and was a part of the Communication Design concentration within
the H&SS Information Systems major prior to the recent revision of that curriculum. Currently, the
course enrolls majors from across the university – most notably from IS, H&SS, and MCS – and
provides curricular training and experience for PhD students in Rhetoric.
Designer and Instructor for junior level course on contemporary rhetorical theory and its
relationship to public policy. Fall 1994.
Instructor for freshman course in academic writing, 1988-1989.
Designer and Instructor for several outreach courses in The History and Theory of Writing
Instruction for high school teachers taught three times as part of the Carnegie Mellon-sponsored
“Teachers as Scholars” program.
Carlow College
Designed and taught courses in academic writing (5 terms), survey of English and American
literature (2 terms), and literary research techniques. Classes included a mix of traditional, firstgeneration, and returning adult students.
Community College of Allegheny County
Designed and taught courses in academic (4 sections), expository (2 sections), and two levels of
basic writing (5 sections). Developed special materials and assignments for displaced homemakers,
former steelworkers, and adult evening students.
Administrative/Curricular Positions, Carnegie Mellon
Department of English
Director of MA Program in Professional Writing, fall 2000 to spring 2011
Director of Undergraduate Programs in Professional & Technical Writing, fall 1995 to spring 2011
Admissions Committee for MAPW, MCPID & PhD in Rhetoric programs, 2000 to spring 2011
Undergraduate Internship Coordinator, fall 1995 to spring 2011
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, 1995 to spring 2011
Resource Committee, fall 2000 to spring 2011
Director of Undergraduate Studies, fall 1997 to spring 2005
English Department Task Force for the Freshman Program (76-101), 2002-03 academic year
English BA Coordinating Committee, fall 2000 to 2004
Ph.D. in Rhetoric Curriculum Revision Committee, 1996
Voting Member & Student Representative, Graduate Policy Committee, 1990-1992
Student Representative, Development Committee of the Board of Trustees, 1993-94
KRS Vita, Page 3
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Karen Rossi Schnakenberg
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Associates Heads/Undergraduate Study Directors Committee, fall 1995 to spring 2005
Information Systems Coordinating Committee, fall 2000 to 2006
Undergraduate Admissions Office Liaison, fall 1997 to spring 2005
Publications
Schnakenberg, Karen R. “Programs in Context: Past, Present, and Future.” Programmatic
Perspectives 1.2, September 2009: 165-194 (forthcoming).
Schnakenberg, Karen R. “Classical Rhetoric in American Writing Textbooks: 1950-65.” In Maureen
Daly Goggin (Ed.), Inventing a Discipline: Rhetoric and Composition in Action. Urbana, IL:
NCTE, 2000.
Enos, Richard L. and Karen R. Schnakenberg. “Cicero Latinizes Hellenic Ethos.” In J.S. & T.F.
Baumlin (Eds.), Ethos: New Essays in Rhetorical and Critical Theory, 191-210. Dallas TX:
Southern Methodist University Press, 1994.
Schnakenberg, Karen R. and Marilyn McCracken, Special Report: Children and the Legal Process.
University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development, 1989.
Rossi, Karen M. The Heritage of Carnegie-Mellon University, a history, 1967.
Reviews
Schnakenberg, Karen R. “Review of Rhetoric and Pedagogy: Its history, philosophy & practice.”
Winifred B. Horner & Michael Leff (Eds.), Erlbaum 1995. Technical Communication
Quarterly 7, summer 98: 107-11.
Papers Presented at National Conferences
2009
Communication Design in the 21st Century: The Evolving Challenges for Academic
Programs. Invited talk/featured speaker, annual meeting of ACM-SIGDOC,
Bloomington, Indiana, October 2009
2008
Programs in Context: Past, Present, and Future. Invited keynote address (90 minutes)
for the 35th anniversary meeting of the Council for Programs in Technical & Scientific
Communication, Minneapolis, MN, October 2008.
2004
Textbooks in Technical Communication: The good, the bad, and the ugly. CCCC, San
Antonio, TX, March 2004.
2002
Representations of Research in Contemporary Technical Communications Textbooks:
What’s There, What’s Missing, and Why it Matters. ATTW: Association of Teachers of
Technical Writing, Chicago, IL, March 2002
2002
The Role of Theory in Masters-level Education in Technical Writing. CCCC: Conference
on College Composition & Communication, Chicago, IL, March 2002.
KRS Vita, Page 4
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2000
Karen Rossi Schnakenberg
Strategic Program Planning for Programs in Technical Communication. CPTSC:
Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication. Menomonie,
WI, October 2000.
Papers Presented at National Conferences (con.)
2000
Theory & Practice in Relation to the Scholarship of Teaching. ATTW, Minneapolis,
MN, March 2000.
1999
Looking to the Future: From Technical Writing to Information Design. CPTSC,
Santa Fe, NM, October 1999.
1998
Integrating History into Technical Writing Curriculums. CPTSC, Lewes, DE. October
1998.
1998
Inadequate Histories of Classical Rhetoric. Rhetoric Society of America. Pittsburgh, PA,
May 1998.
1998
Inadequate Histories of Classical Rhetoric. CCCC, Chicago, IL. April 1999. (Accepted but
not delivered due to surgery that precluded travel.)
1997
Thinking about Technical Writers’ Connections (and Obligations) to the Public Sphere.
CPTSC, Austin TX, October 1997.
1997
Aristotle’s Rhetoric in American Writing Textbooks, 1950-1970. ISHR: International
Society for the History of Rhetoric. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, July 1997
1996
Theory, Practice, and Pedagogy. CPTSC Annual Meeting, Oxford, OH
1996
Curriculum Design as Intellectual Work. Council of Writing Program Administrators,
Oxford, OH
1995
Integrating Rhetorical Theory and Advanced Writing Instruction. Conference on College
Composition & Communication. Washington DC
1993
Narrative as a Suasive Tactic: A Case Study of Contemporary Introductions to Aristotle’s
Rhetoric. Penn State Conference on Rhetoric & Composition. University Park, PA
1992
Kairos and Exigence: Contrasts and Conjunctions in Current Discourse. Rhetoric Society
of America. Minneapolis, MN. Revised version presented at Penn State Conference on
Rhetoric & Composition. University Park, PA
1991
Walter Ong’s Orality and Literacy: An Invitation to Extrapolation. International Society for
the History of Rhetoric. Baltimore, MD
1991
The Doctoral Dissertation: An Ill-structured Problem Space. Conference on College
Composition and Communication. Boston, MA
KRS Vita, Page 5
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Karen Rossi Schnakenberg
1990
Computers and Cognition: The Lure of Techno-centric Assumptions. Penn State Conference
on Rhetoric & Composition. University Park, PA
1989
When Science and Religion Meet: Rhetorical Features of Scientific and General Audience
Reporting on the Carbon 14 Dating of the Shroud of Turin. Penn State Conference on
Rhetoric & Composition. University Park, PA
Seminars and Workshops
2010
Workshop on Writing User-Centered Instructions. Carnegie Mellon Hunt Library.
2008
Seminar in Instructional Design. One-week program developed for instructional staff at
InfoSys in India. Due to a passport snafu that prevented my travel, the workshop was
delivered by my colleagues, David Kaufer and Necia Werner, based on my materials.
2007
Workshop in Teaching Technical Writing for Novice Instructors. Half day. CCCC, New
York, March 2007
2006
Workshop in Teaching Technical Writing, Half day. ATTW, Chicago, March 2006
2005
Workshop in Teaching Technical Writing, Half day. ATTW, San Francisco, March 2005
2005
Roundtable Session on Teaching Technical Communication. CCCC, San Francisco, 2005
2004
Workshop in Teaching Technical Writing, ATTW, San Antonio, TX, March 2003
2002
Workshop in Teaching Technical Communication. ATTW, Chicago, IL, March 2002
2001
History & Theory of Writing Instruction.
Carnegie Mellon / H&SS Teachers as Scholars program, spring 2001
1989
Knowledge and the Teaching of Writing: Plato, Aristotle, and the Sophists
H&SS Teachers as Scholars Program, fall 1999
1999
Why We Teach Writing the Way We do: History, Theory, and Practice
H&SS Teachers as Scholars Program, spring 1999
1998
Strategies for Effective External Reports
NASA IV&V Facility, Fairmont, WV
A two-day customized workshop for program managers
1993
Effective Technical and Business Writing Workshop
Westinghouse Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, West Mifflin, PA
A 12-hour workshop on using rhetorical analysis, document design, and reader-centered
prose in technical and business writing.
1993
Technical Writing for Engineers, a 12-session workshop on writing engineering reports for
KRS Vita, Page 6
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Karen Rossi Schnakenberg
industrial and government clients for Eichleay Engineering, Pittsburgh.
1992
Writing Effective Petitions and Proposals, CMU English Department
Workshop on writing exam petitions and dissertation prospectuses
1989
Teaching Proposals, CMU English Department
Workshop for composition instructors on teaching proposal writing
Professional & Editorial Service Beyond Carnegie Mellon
University of Chicago Press
Consultant and proposal reviewer for a new series in Technical Writing, fall 2008 to 2011
IEEE Transactions in Professional Communication
Reviewer, 2008 to spring 2011
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Member, Board of Reviewers, 1998 to spring 2011
Technical Communication
Reviewer, 2010 to 2011
Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.
Invited Reviewer for 6th ed. Of Paul Anderson’s Technical Communication, one of the
leading textbooks in the field, 2005
Bedford / St. Martin’s and Longman / Pearson
Invited technical communication textbook proposal reviewer, 2005 & 2006
CPTSC: Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication
 Executive Board Member & Treasurer, October 1998 to 2010
Chair, Distinguished Service Award Selection Committee, 2007 & 2010; member 2008
 Research Grants Selection Committee, 2005 to 2007
 Conference & Local Arrangements Chair, October 2001
ATTW: Association of Teachers of Technical Writing
 Program Selection Committee for 2008 and 2009 Conferences
 Chair, Committee on Teaching Practices, 2004 -2007. Member 1999-2007
 Lead Organizer and Presenter for five annual workshops in teaching technical and
professional writing to instructors new to the profession presented at the national
conferences of ATTW and CCCC 2002 and 2004-2007
 Selection Committee Chair for MLA sessions in technical communication, 2004-2007
 Ethics Committee, 1998
Pittsburgh Consortium for Rhetoric & Discourse Studies
Executive Board Member, academic year 2010-2011
KRS Vita, Page 7
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Karen Rossi Schnakenberg
ASME: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Invited Reviewer for national conference stem on Communication in Engineering
Education, 2004
Society for Technical Communication Pittsburgh Chapter
 Liaison to the Pittsburgh High Technology Council, 1999 & 2000
 Technical Publications Competition Judge, 1999 to 2003
Pittsburgh Arts & Letters Charitable Trust
Prelude Science Writing Awards Committee, 2001
Consulting / Writing/ Editing
Freedom Area School District. Consultant on developing technical writing course for high school
students, fall 2005 – spring 2006
US Postal Service Domestic Mail Manuel Redesign Project, Carnegie Mellon University School of
Design, Pittsburgh PA. Co-Principal Investigator, summer 2001.
NASA IV&V Facility, Fairmont WV. Writing and Publications Consultant, Fall 1998 to spring 2001.
Carnegie Mellon Magazine, Pittsburgh PA. Advisory Board Member. 1994 to 1997.
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, summer 1992
Writer/Participant for Teaching & Curriculum section of Xerox/Carnegie Mellon joint training
program on Total Quality Management.
Freelance Writer/Editor, 1978 to 1988
Wrote educational materials, conference presentations, consumer information brochures, and
articles for publication in professional journals. Main subject areas: dentistry, public health, social
sciences.
Office of Research, Pittsburgh Board of Public Education, 1969 to 1972
Technical Editor for a staff of 14. Edited and coordinated the production of all publications
including 20 annual research reports; edited a college-level text on educational evaluation and
developed accompanying curriculum materials; developed editorial guidelines.
Selected Professional Service at Carnegie Mellon
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University Committee on Special Faculty Appointments, 2009 to 2010
Ad Hoc Faculty Review Committee for 4 IS faculty cases, fall 2009
SURG/SURF Selection & Advisory Committee, 1999 to 2010
Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Faculty Titles, 2002
Ad Hoc Faculty Review Committee for IS faculty member 2006-2007
University Library Ad Hoc Review Committee for 3 library faculty, 2006
Hiring Committee for Director of Undergraduate Research Office, 2006
KRS Vita, Page 8
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Karen Rossi Schnakenberg
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Consultant for writing component for ICC summer session for international students, 2006
MMCC Centennial Planning Committee, 2006
H&SS Internship Grant Committee, 2006 to 2010
Pittsburgh Teachers Institute – a joint program of Carnegie Mellon, Chatham College, and
the Pittsburgh Public Schools – Planning and Advisory Committee, 1998 to 2002
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CMU Representative to the Yale-New Haven Institute Summer Intensive, July 1998
Independent Studies, Honors Projects, and Theses Committee Work
PhD Exam Committee for Alexis Teagarden, 2009-10
PhD Exam Committee for Stephen Jordan, 2008
PhD Thesis Committee Member for Martha Cheng, 2002
PhD Exam Committee Member for Danielle Zawodny-Wetzel, fall 2000
PhD-level independent study, Jeffrey Collins, History of Writing Instruction, summer 2001
MA-level independent study, Hideki Kamita, Teaching Technical Writing, fall 2001
MA-level independent study, Pamela Ford, Instructional Design, fall 2001
MCPID thesis committee member, Autumn Stroupe, 2000-2001
MCPID thesis committee member, Lisa Lane, 1998-99
MCPID thesis committee member, Vikram Bopat, 1998-99
MLitt in Investigative Journalism thesis on Media and Journalism, Greg Gaudio, 2009
H&SS Honors Thesis, Michelle Bova, 2006-07
H&SS Senior Honors Thesis, Monica Costlow, jointly with Amanda Young 2001-02
H&SS Senior Honors Thesis, Lauren Grim, jointly with Susan Hagan, 2001-02
BHA Senior Project, Beth Powell, committee member, 2001-02
H&SS Senior Honors Thesis, Jean Vettel, 1998-99
Honors & Awards
2006
Distinguished Service Award for “Leadership in Programs in Technical &
Professional Communication,” Council for Programs in Technical & Scientific
Communication
1993
English Department Graduate Student Teaching Award, Carnegie Mellon in
recognition of work done developing the foundations course in technical and
professional writing for majors and the related outreach course for non-majors.
KRS Vita, Page 9
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Karen Rossi Schnakenberg
Professional Affiliations
Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication
Association of Teachers of Technical Writing
Society for Technical Communication
Council of Writing Program Administrators
Conference on College Composition and Communication
ACM-SIGDOC
National Council of Teachers of English
American Association of University Women
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Women in Communication
KRS Vita, Page 10