I'm at work on a book on film noir from the 1970s to the present, which focuses on the representation of economics within these films. I'm particularly interested in the way that trust, and the lack of trust, shape the economy of crime in neo-noir filmmaking; and in the way that the cinematic private detective embodies a transformation in the role of the professions within the larger economy.

I teach a wide range of courses, from first-year writing to advanced courses on literature and film. In recent years, I've taught Critical Interpretation, Shakespeare, and Literary Theory on the literature side, and courses on film noir, literary theory, and westerns and women's pictures on the film side. I'm looking forward to developing new courses on American film comedy and stardom in Hollywood cinema.

I'm interested in the application of cognitive science to literature and film, and hope to develop new courses and research projects in this area, perhaps in collaboration with colleagues in psychology and economics.