Eric J. York

Associate Professor of English

Rhetoric and Professional Communication

Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Education

Ph.D.

Rhetoric and Professional Communication

Iowa State University of Science and Technology · 2015

M.A.

English · concentration in Creative Writing

University of Maine · 2006

B.A.

English · minor in Secondary Education

University of Maine · 2003

Appointments

2024–

Associate Professor of English

Iowa State University of Science and Technology · Ames, IA

2024–’24

Associate Professor of Communication, Media & Design

Clarkson University · Potsdam, NY

2016–’23

Assistant Professor of Communication, Media & Design

Clarkson University · Potsdam, NY

2015–’16

Assistant Director of ISUComm Foundation Courses and
Lecturer of Rhetoric and Professional Communication

Iowa State University of Science and Technology · Ames, IA

2010–’15

Graduate Teaching Assistant of Rhetoric and Professional Communication

Iowa State University of Science and Technology · Ames, IA

2006–’10

Lecturer in English · Full-time, Ranked

Writing Program Administration 2007–’09

Husson University · Bangor, ME

2006–’07

Adjunct Lecturer of English

Kennebec Valley Community College · Waterville, ME

2004–’06

Graduate Teaching Assistant in English

University of Maine · Orono, ME

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Johnson-Eilola, J., Selber, S., and York, E. J. (2024). Can Artificial Intelligence Robots Write Effective Instructions? Special Issue on the Effects of Artificial Intelligence Tools in Technical Communication Pedagogy, Practice, and Research (Ed. Stephen Carradini), The Journal of Business and Technical Communication 38(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/10506519241239641

York, E. J. (2023). Evaluating ChatGPT: Generative AI in UX Design and Web Development Pedagogy. Proceedings of the 41st ACM International Conference on Design of Communication, 143–148. https://doi.org/10.1145/3615335.3623035

York, E. J. (2023). Deceptive by Design: The Visual Rhetorical Mechanism of Dark Patterns. Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy, 27(2). http://kairos.technorhetoric.net/27.2/topoi/york/index.html

York, E. J. (2022). Alternate Histories and Conflicting Futures: Git Version Control as Software Development Infrastructure. Communication Design Quarterly, 10(2), 57–65. https://doi.org/10.1145/3507857.3507863

York, E. J., Propst, L., Pelky, R., Ball, J. L., Lee, A. M., & White-Cree, P. (2022). Stories from the Circle: Extended Reality (XR), Posthumanism, and Decolonizing the Design of Communication. Proceedings of the 40th ACM International Conference on Design of Communication, 143–148. https://doi.org/10.1145/3513130.3558993

York, E. J. (2021). Digital Surveillance in Online Writing Instruction: Panopticism and Simulation in Learning Management Systems. Computers and Composition, 62, 102680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compcom.2021.102680

York, E. J. (2021). Building Community Coalitions for eCommerce: Client-based Learning and Web Development during a Pandemic Lockdown. Proceedings of the 39th ACM International Conference on Design of Communication, 263–268. https://doi.org/10.1145/3472714.3473651

York, E. J., & Johnson-Eilola, J. (2020). Enduring Designs, Transient Designers: A Comparison of the Workspaces and Materials of Professionals and Novices. Proceedings of the 38th ACM International Conference on Design of Communication, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1145/3380851.3416783

Lutz, B., O’Connell, R., & York, E. (2014). Brokering ISUComm Sites: Toward the Creation of a Large Scale ePortfolio Platform for Multimodal Composition. Proceedings of the 32nd ACM International Conference on The Design of Communication 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1145/2666216.2666227

York, E. J. (2011). Culture Jams: Critical Media Literacy in The Digital/Multimodal Classroom. Computers and Composition Online, Special Issue Ethics in a Digital Age. http://cconlinejournal.org/virtualc.htm

Forthcoming

Selber, S., York, E. J. (n.d). Automation or Augmentation: Language Models as Educational Subject. Artificial Intelligence and the Humanities (Ed. Sid Dobrin). Parlor Press. Accepted, expected Fall, 2024.

York, E. J. (n.d). Collaborating on the Interface: Rhetorical and Hermeneutic Theory for User Experience Design. Collaborations and Partnerships in User Experience Design. (Eds. Ryan Webber and Joy Robinson). WAC Clearinghouse. (In press, expected early 2024).

York, E. J. (n.d.). Failing Machines: Sustainability, Scalability, and Continuity in the Digital Humanities. Accepted by Computers and Composition.

York, E. J. (n.d). Thinking Machines: Generative Rhetoric in the ‘Turing Test’ for Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence and the Humanities (Ed. Sid Dobrin). Parlor Press. Accepted, expected Fall, 2024.

In Progress

York, E. J. (n.d.). Machines of Loving Grace: Algorithmic Surveillance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Drafting phase.

Carlson, J., Wilkes, A., York, E. J. (n.d.). User experience methods in the study of online product marketing images. Data collection phase; funded and IRB approved.

Banavar, M., Cohen, A., DeWaters, J., Dub, W., Kocho-Williams, A., Manierre, M., Pelkey, R., Propst, L., Rogers, J., Sanja, C., York, E. J. (n.d.). Documenting Generative AI in Design and Development Pedagogy. Research design phase; funding awarded.

Funding Awards

$1,269,000. Senior Personnel, with Kavanaugh, K., Johns, L., Bowman, R. and Cabral, M. “Building Rural Aspirations in Neuroscience with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (BRAIN-STEM)” National Institutes of Health (NIH), Science Education Partnerships Award (SEPA). 2023.

$20,000 (plus 1 graduate student tuition waiver). Co-PI, with Banavar, M., Cohen, A., Manierre, M., DeWaters, J., Kocho-Williams, A., Propst, L., Pelky, R., Rogers, J., Dub, R. and Sajna, C. “Being Brave in a New World: Impacts of ChatGPT on the university.” Team Science Projects Planning Grant (TSPPG). 2023.

$1,800. Co-PI, with Carlson, J., Johnson-Eilola, J. and Wilke, A. “The Effects of Product Packaging in Online Shopping Environments”. Internally funded (Reh School). 2023.

$5,000. Co-PI, with Ball, J. L., Lee, A. M., Propst, L., Pelky, R., and White-Cree, P. “Stories from the Circle: A Public-facing Augmented Reality Application.” Undergraduate Faculty Research Award (UFRA) 2022.

$1,500. Co-PI, with Ball, J. L., Lee, A. M., Propst, L., Pelky, R., and White-Cree, P. “Stories from the Circle: Web VR and Website.” Humanities NY, Vison Grant. 2021.

$14,000. PI. “Developing eCommerce Websites for Local Businesses Closed by the Pandemic”. Shipley Center and Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) Partnership. 2020.

$39,400. Co-author, “Making Computer Classrooms More Efficient.” Liberal Arts and Sciences Computer Advisory Committee (LASCAC). 2014

$630. Co-author, “Enabling Mobile Device Testing Across Platforms.” Liberal Arts and Sciences Computer Advisory Committee (LASCAC). 2014.

$32,600. Co-author, “Putting the Silent-E Back in WOVE.” Liberal Arts and Sciences Computer Advisory Committee (LASCAC). 2013.

$1,000. Co-author, “Piloting Virtual Peer Review in ISUComm.” ISUComm. 2012.

Conference Presentations

“GenAI and Visual Literacy: Re-seeing our workplaces, worldviews, and pedagogies.” International Visual Literacy Association. 2024.

“Prompting Bias: Visual rhetoric, posthumanism and AI-generated images.” Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on the Design of Communication. 2024.

“Refiguring Bias in AI-Generated Technical Visuals.” Association for Teachers of Technical Writing. 2024.

“GenAI and Visual Literacy: Re-seeing our workplaces, worldviews, and pedagogies.” International Visual Literacy Association. 2024.

“Artificial Interfaces, Artificial Ideologies: A Visual Rhetorical Analysis of ChatGPT.” Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and the Teaching of Technical Communication. 2024.

“Digital Opportunities and Challenges.” Invited speaker. Teaching Effectiveness Conference; Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley. 2023.

“Evaluating ChatGPT: Generative AI in UX Design and Web development Pedagogy.” Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group for the Design of Communication (ACM SIGDOC); 2023.

“Deregulating and Domesticating ChatGPT in Technical Communication Pedagogy and Practice.” Association for Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW) 2023

“Stories from the Circle: Extended Reality (XR), Posthumanism, and Decolonizing the Design of Communication.” Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group for the Design of Communication (ACM SIGDOC); 2022.

“Building Community Coalitions for eCommerce: Client-based Learning and Web Development during a Pandemic Lockdown.” Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group for the Design of Communication (ACM SIGDOC); 2021.

“Enduring Designs, Transient Designers: A Comparison of the Workspaces and Materials of Professionals and Novices.” Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group for the Design of Communication (ACM SIGDOC); 2020.

“Toward a Rhetoric of Deceit: Dark Patterns in UX Design.” Association for Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW); 2018

“Navigating Identity in Action: How New Instructors Construct Their Professional Teaching Identity.” Conference of College Composition and Communication (CCCC); 2016

“The Learning Management System as Boundary Object: Discontinuity and Transformation.” Conference of College Composition and Communication (CCCC); 2015

“Brokering Across Administrative Boundaries: Provisional Consensus for Building ISUComm Sites.” ACM Special Interest Group on Design of Communication (ACM SIGDOC); 2014

“Digitally-Mediated Peer Review in Multimodal Composition Courses: Implications for Writing Pedagogies.” Conference of College Composition and Communication (CCCC); 2014

“The Invisible Made Visible: Virtual Peer Review in the Writing Classroom.” Conference of College Composition and Communication (CCCC); 2013

“Learning Management Systems and Writing Program Administration.” Great Plains Alliance for Computers and Writing (GPACW); 2012

“Technical Communications Role in Language Learning: What Intensive English Courses Have Taught Us.” Association for Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW). 2012

“Culture Jams: Critical Media Literacy in Multimodal Composition.” Conference of College Composition and Communication (CCCC); 2012

“Underlife, Cell-phones, and the Writing Classroom.” Conference of College Composition and Communication (CCCC); 2010

“Mirrors to the Heart of Poetry: Speculative Language in Laura Riding.” University of Maine, English Graduate Symposium; 2005

“When the Woods were Commons: An Ethos of Destruction in Maine Poetry.” Maine Studies Award Symposium; 2004

Workshops and Instructional Presentations

“Using WordPress Content Management for Village Governance.“ Village of Potsdam, 2023

“Copyright, Creative Commons, and Intellectual Property.” Web development club presentation, 2023

“Using WebVR for Antiracist, Decolonial Activism”. Impossible Projects symposium round table, 2022

“Rhetoric, Technology, and Boundaries.” Rhetoric and Professional Communication Colloquium, 2014

“Web Conventions and Assessing ePortfolios.” ISUComm Courses Orientation, 2014

“Getting Started with ISUComm Sites.” ISUComm Sites Workshop Series, 2014

“Intro to Teaching with ePortFolios.” ISUComm Sites Workshop Series, 2014

“Online Courses Orientation and Tutorials.” ISUComm Courses Orientation, 2011, 2012, and 2013

Courses Taught

Clarkson University, 2016–

COMM 429

Fullstack Web Development

COMM 329

Frontend Development for the Web

COMM 229

Principles of User Experience Design

COMM 210

Rhetorical Theory for the Professions

COMM 491

Independent Study (11 times)

COMM 472

Teaching Assistantship (9 times)

Iowa State University, 2010–’16

ENGL 314

Technical Communication

ENGL 313

Rhetorical Web Design

ENGL 302

Business Communication

ENGL 250H

Honors Rhetoric and Writing II

ENGL 250

Rhetoric and Writing II

ENGL 150

Rhetoric and Writing I

Husson University, 2006–’2010

ENG 124

Rhetoric and Composition II

ENG 123

Rhetoric and Composition I

ENG 112

Approaches to Literature

ENGL 111

College Writing

ENG 091

Writing Workshop

Kennebec Valley CC, 2006–’07

ENG 219

Business and Professional Writing

University of Maine, 2004–’06

ENG 205

Creative Writing

ENG 101

College Composition

Thesis Advising and Interships

2023

Honors Thesis Advisor, Name Redacted

2022

Honors Thesis Advisor, Name Redacted

2021

Honors Thesis Advisor, Name Redacted

2020

Internship Supervisor, Name Redacted

2019

Internship Advisor, Name Redacted

2018

Capstone Advisor, Name Redacted

Student Club Advising

2022–

Clarkson Web Development Club Faculty Advisor and founder

2019–

The Clarkson Integrator (Newspaper) Faculty Advisor

2008–’10

Husson Rifle Club Faculty Advisor

Professional Service

National Service

2023

Reviewer for Student Research Competition (SRC), SIGDOC

2023

Peer reviewer for SIGDOC

2022

Peer reviewer for Critical Inquiry in Language Studies

2022

Peer reviewer for Communication Design Quarterly

2020

External evaluator for Applied Communication Degree, SUNY Dehli

Clarkson University

2023–

Chair, Information Technology Committee

2023–

Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee

2020–

Faculty Senate (Arts and Sciences Delegation)

2021–’22

Data Governance Policy Committee

2020–’21

Faculty Governance Committee

2019–’23

Information Technology Committee

2017‐

Co-director, Audio/Usability Lab

2016‐’18

Curriculum Revision Committee

Iowa State University

2012‐’15

ISUComm Technology Committee

2012‐’15

ISUComm Curriculum and Activity Committee

2012‐’15

Liberal Arts and Sciences Computer Advisory Committee

2011‐’12

Rhetoric and Professional Communication Phorum (Faculty Liaison)

2011‐’13

Rhetoric and Professional Communication Area Group Committee

Husson University

2008‐’10

Writing Across the Curriculum Committee

2008‐’10

Basic Writing Committee

2008‐’09

Co-authored and administrated curriculum for English 091 and 123

2008

Authored and administrated curriculum for English 124

2008‐’09

Placement Assessment Developer and Co-coordinator

2006‐’08

Faculty Evaluation and Development Committee

2006‐’08

Faculty Handbook Committee

University of Maine

2004‐’06

Policy Advisory Committee

2004‐’06

Writing Center Tutor

Professional Affiliations

2024–

International Visual Literacy Association

2014–

Special Interest Group for the Design of Communication

2014–

Association for Computing Machinery (ACM); 2014–

2012–

Association for Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW); 2012–

2006–’15

College Composition and Communication (CCCC); 2006–’15

2006–’15

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE); 2006–’15

Awards and Scholarships

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award; 2021

Dean’s Commendation for Excellence in Teaching; 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021

Graduate Research Excellence Award (Best dissertation); 2015

Graduate Teaching Excellence Award; 2013

W. Paul Jones Scholarship (Best article); 2012

Freda Hunke Endowment Scholarship; 2010

Steve Grady Award (First place, poetry); 2006

Maine Studies Award (First place, research); 2006

Steve Grady Award (First place, fiction); 2005

Alice T. Ayerling Leadership Scholarship; 1996

Technical Proficiencies

Frontend web development (HTML5, CSS3, ES6+, PHP)

User experience (research, testing)

Fullstack and dev-ops (LAMP, NodeJS)

Content / learning management (WordPress, Moodle)

Graphic design (Adobe, Figma, Sketch)

Media (image, video, 3D, hypertext)

Web Development Administration

Lead Technician, Clarkson's BRAIN-STEM

Lead Technician, Village of Potsdam website

Lead Technician, Kiawentiio's site

Lead Technician, Stories from the Circle

Lead Technician, Clarkson Pepband

Lead Technician, Shipley / ANCA / eCommerce

Lead Technician, Smart Housing Project

Lead Technician, Comm and Media website

Project Lead, Lead ISUComm Sites

Online Courses Coordinator / Systems Administrator

Selected Websites

BRAIN-STEM

Project Lead, Lead Designer and Developer

Village of Potsdam

Project Lead, Lead Designer and Developer

Deceptive by Design

Project Lead, Lead Designer and Developer

Stories from the Circle

Lead Designer and Developer

Kiawentiio's Site

Project Lead, Lead Designer and Developer

Clarkson Pep Band

Project Lead, Lead Designer and Developer

MDI Historical Society

Lead Designer and Developer

GiftMDI.com

Lead Designer and Developer

ISUComm Sites

Lead Designer and Developer