Valiavitcharska/CV, 1
VESSELA V. VALIAVITCHARSKA
April 6, 2016
curriculum vitae
___________________________________________________________________________________________
English Department, University of Maryland, 2119 Tawes Hall, College Park, MD 20742-2315
301-405-3757 / [email protected]
EDUCATION
2007
1997
1995
Ph. D. in Comparative Literature. University of Texas at Austin.
M. A. in the Humanities. University of Chicago.
Joint B. A. and M. A. (Diploma) in English Philology. Sofia University, Bulgaria.
ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT
2013-present
2007-2013
2000-2007
2002-2003
1999-2001
Associate Professor. English Department, University of Maryland.
Core Faculty in the Comparative Literature Program.
Affiliate Faculty in Classics.
Assistant Professor. English Department, University of Maryland.
Assistant Instructor. Division of Rhetoric and Writing, University of Texas at Austin.
Assistant Instructor. English Department, University of Texas at Austin.
Teaching Assistant. English and Classics Departments, University of Texas at Austin.
BOOK
Rhetoric and Rhythm in Byzantium: The Sound of Persuasion. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2013.
Figurality and Argumentation in Middle Byzantine Rhetoric. In progress.
ARTICLES
“Figure, Argument, and Performance in the Byzantine Classroom.”
Rhetoric Society Quarterly. Journal of the Rhetoric Society of America. Vol. 41/1 (2011): 19-40.
“The Byzantine Grammarian and Rhetorical Training.”
Rhetorica. Journal of the International Society for the History of Rhetoric.
“Byzantine Oratorical Rhythm and the Classical Heritage.”
Jahrbuch der Österreichischen Byzantinistik. Austrian Academy of Sciences. Band 59 (2009): 213-27.
“Correct Logos and Truth in Gorgias’ Encomium of Helen.”
Rhetorica. Journal of the International Society for the History of Rhetoric. Vol. 24/2 (2006): 147-61.
“Imperial Adventus and Paul the Silentiary’s Ekphraseis of Hagia Sophia.”
Scripta and e-Scripta (not an online journal). Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Vol. 3/4 (2005/06): 183-99.
BOOK CHAPTERS
“The Rhetorical Figures.” In Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Literature, ed. Stratis Papaioannou. Oxford: Oxford UP
[forthcoming in 2016].
BOOK REVIEWS
Vico and the Transformation of Rhetoric in Early Modern Europe, by David Marshall (Cambridge UP: 2010). Forthcoming in
Rhetoric Society Quarterly. Journal of the Rhetoric Society of America. Vol. 42/5 (2012): 496-99.
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AREAS OF INTEREST
Classical and Byzantine rhetoric and pedagogy, visual rhetoric and medieval art, the ekphrastic tradition, medieval scholia
and rhetorical commentaries, rhetoric and poetics, textual criticism.
PRESENTATIONS, CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION, INVITED TALKS
“Sign, Language, and Rhetoric in the Middle Byzantine Tradition.” Paper presented at the XX Biennial Meeting of the
International Society for the History of Rhetoric. Tübingen, Germany, July 2015.
“Oral Aspects of Argumentation Training.” Aurality, Orality, and Literacy in Byzantium. Symposium on Byzantine
Literature at Princeton University, May 15-17, 2015. (Invited.)
“Word Rhythm in the Enthymeme: How to Draw a Conclusion.” 29th Meeting of the International Colloquium
DAMON of the Université Fribourg. Les Diablerets, Switzerland, October 2014. (Invited.)
“Diagrams and Doodles, Clauses and Conclusions: What Visuals Reveal about Byzantine Understanding of Style and
Argument.” International Society for the History of Rhetoric. Biennial Meeting. Chicago, IL, July 2013.
“Rhetoric Unlimited: The Medieval Greek Rhetoricians on Language and Reality.” Plenary Paper.
(Dis)Realities and the Literary and Cultural Imagination. 6th Annual Graduate English Organization Conference.
University of Maryland. April, 2013. (Invited.)
“Reading Poetry, Performing Rhetoric: The Place of Poetic Performance in Byzantine Rhetorical Education.”
Rhetoric Society of America. Biennial Meeting. Philadelphia, PA, May 2012.
“Argument, Figure, and Rhythm in medieval Greek Theory.” Work-in-Progress Talk. Center for Literary and
Comparative Studies. English Department, University of Maryland, College Park. May 2012.
“Byzantine Rhetorical Rhythm in the Codex Suprasliensis.” Twenty-Second International Congress of
Byzantine Studies. Sofia, Bulgaria, August 2011.
“The Enthymeme: Argument and Figure in Byzantine Pedagogy.” International Society for the History of
Rhetoric. Biennial Meeting. Bologna, Italy, July 2011.
“Enthymeme and Figurality.” Presentation for a Round-Table Discussion. Reading Comparatively:
Theories, Practices, Communities. University of Maryland. November 2010.
“Teaching the Iliad: Literature or Rhetoric?” Rhetoric Society of America. Biennial Meeting.
Minneapolis, MN, May 2010.
“Rhythm in Byzantine Rhetorical Theory.” Research Network contribution. Rhetoric Society of America.
Biennial Meeting. Minneapolis, MN, May 2010.
“Workshop on Second Language Writing.” University of Maryland. Symposium of Second
Language Writing. October, 2009.
“Performing the Figures.” International Society for the History of Rhetoric. Biennial Meeting.
Montreal, Canada, July 2009.
“Theater in the Schoolroom.” International Society for the History of Rhetoric. Panel Organizer.
Biennial Meeting. Montreal, July 2009.
“Before the Progymnasmata: The Byzantine Grammarian and Rhetorical Training.” Byzantine Studies
Conference. Annual Meeting, Rutgers University, NJ, October 2008.
“The Teaching of Form as a Tool for Discovering Arguments.” Rhetoric Society of America. Biennial
Meeting, Seattle, WA, May 2008.
“Teaching Prose Rhythm in Byzantium.” International Society for the History of Rhetoric. Biennial Meeting,
Strasbourg, France, July 2007.
“Cultural Commerce: Byzantium and Eastern Europe.” International Medieval Congress. Panel Co-Organizer.
Annual Congress, Kalamazoo, MI, May 2007.
“Cultural Commerce: Byzantine East and Latin West.” International Medieval Congress. Panel Co-Organizer
and Chair. Annual Congress, Kalamazoo, MI, May 2006.
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“Another Look at Byzantine Prose Rhythm.” Dumbarton Oaks Library and Research Center. Dumbarton
Oaks Fellow Presentations Series, April 2006.
“Workshop on Prose Rhythm.” Dumbarton Oaks Library and Research Center. Informal workshop for fellows
and readers at the Dumbarton Oaks Library, April 2006.
“Rhythm and Audience Assent in Byzantine Homiletics.” International Society for the History of Rhetoric.
Biennial Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, July 2005.
“Imperial Adventus and Paul the Silentiary’s Ekphrasis of St. Sophia.” International Medieval Congress.
Annual Congress, Kalamazoo, MI, May 2005.
“Truth and Logos: Gorgias’ Encomium of Helen.” International Society for the History of Rhetoric. Biennial
Meeting, Madrid, Spain, July 2003.
“The Mosaic of the Transfiguration on Mt. Sinai: Theology and Politics.” International Medieval Congress.
Annual Congress, Kalamazoo, MI, May 2003.
“The Function of Medieval Lay Poetry: Dimitri Kantakouzin’s Prayer to the Virgin.” American Association of
Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages. New York, December 2002.
“The Self-Image of an Imperial Bureaucrat in the Leo Bible.” Texas Medieval Association. Annual
Conference, Houston, Texas, October 2002.
AWARDS AND HONORS
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for University Teachers. 2013.
The Relationship between Figurative Language and Argumentation in Medieval Greek (Byzantine) Rhetoric. ($50,400)
The Kandice Chuh Graduate Mentorship Award. University of Maryland Graduate English Organization. 2013.
International Fund Travel Award. For archival research. University of Maryland. August, 2012.
General Research Board Summer Award and Research Expenses Grant, 2009. University of Maryland.
For research on the book project Rhetoric and Poetics in Byzantine and Old Slavonic Homilies. ($9,210 total)
Nomination for the Charles Bernheimer Award, 2007. American Comparative Literature Association.
For best dissertation in 2007; nominated by the Comparative Literature Program, University of Texas.
Dissertation Award, 2007. American Society for the History of Rhetoric.
For best dissertation in the history of rhetoric in 2007.
Mastery of Electronic Media in Education Award, 2007. University of Texas at Austin.
Computer Research and Writing Lab. Team award for developing media teaching resources.
Byzantine Studies Junior Fellowship, January-May 2006. Harvard University/Dumbarton Oaks Library.
For dissertation research and writing at the Dumbarton Oaks Library ($8,685).
University Continuing Fellowship, September 2004-May 2005. University of Texas at Austin.
For dissertation research and writing ($16,000).
Ernst Mach Fellowship, March-June 2004. University of Vienna (Austria) and Austrian Ministry of Culture.
For dissertation research at the Byzantine and Slavistic Institutes ($4,896).
International Education Fund Scholarship, February 2004. University of Texas at Austin.
For study at the University of Vienna ($1,000).
Byzantine Summer School Fellowship, June 2003. Harvard University and the Dumbarton Oaks Library.
For tuition, room, board at the Byzantine Summer School at the Dumbarton Oaks Library.
Medieval Studies Scholarship, June 2003. University of Texas at Austin.
For travel expenses to the Byzantine Summer School at Dumbarton Oaks ($500).
Professional Development Award, February 2003. University of Texas at Austin.
For participation in academic conferences ($500).
Summer Research Grant, August 2002. Ohio State University and the Hilandar Library.
For living expenses while pursuing archival research at the Hilandar Library ($400).
Medieval Summer Institute Fellowship, June-July 1999. Ohio State Unversity and the Hilandar Library.
For travel, living expenses, and tuition at the Medieval Summer Institute.
Program in the Humanities Scholarship, 1996-1997. University of Chicago.
Tuition scholarship ($12,500).
Sofia University Five-Year Student Stipend, 1990-1995. Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria.
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TEACHING AND ADVISING
Courses
English 301: Critical Methods in the Study of Literature
English 302: Medieval Literature in Translation: East and West
English 379N: Medieval Rhetoric and Literature
English 478J: Oratory and War
English 487: Foundations of Rhetoric
English 488B: Rhetoric and the Visual
English 488F: Visual Rhetoric
English 489: Classical Rhetoric and Contemporary Writing
English 607 (graduate survey course): Readings in the History of Rhetorical Theory to 1800
English 708 (graduate seminar): Affect and Persuasion
Advising: Master’s
Cameron Mozafari, Spring 2012. Director of M.A. Capstone Essay. Placement: Continued as a Ph. D. student in
English.
Maria Gigante, Fall 2009. Reader of M.A. Capstone Essay. Placement: Continued as a Ph.D. student in English.
Daniel Colinge, Fall 2009. Reader of M.A. Capstone Essay. Placement: Applied for admission to School of
Public Policy.
Advising: Doctoral.
Nathan Tillman, Ph. D. student in Comparative Literature. Qualifying Exam Director (Spring 2016).
Cameron Mozafari, Ph. D. student. Qualifying Exam Director (Spring 2014); Dissertation Co-Supervisor, with
Professor Michael Israel (Fall 2014-present)
Oliver Brearey, Ph. D. student. Qualifying Exam Committee member (Spring 2013). Dissertation Committee
Member (Fall 2013-current).
Mark Hoffmann, Ph.D. student. Qualifying Exam Committee member (April 2010); Dissertation Committee
member (2010-2014). Placement: CEO and Director of Public Relations and Communications at High Lantern
Group, Asheville, NC.
Martin Camper, Ph.D. student. Qualifying Exam Committee member (November 2010); Dissertation
Committee member (2010-2013). Placement: Tenure-track position at Loyola University, Baltimore, starting in
fall of 2014.
Lindsay Dunne, Ph.D. student. Qualifying Exam Committee member (November 2010); Dissertation
Committee member (Spring 2011-Spring 2014). Placement: Adjunct position at Georgetown University, starting
in fall of 2014.
Andy Black, Ph.D. student. Qualifying Exam Committee member (April 2010); Dissertation Committee member
(April 2013). Placement: Tenure-track position at Murray State University, starting in fall of 2013.
Maria Gigante, Ph.D. student. Qualifying Exam Committee member (November 2010); Dissertation Committee
member (2010-2012). Placement: Tenure-track position at Western Michigan University, starting in fall of 2012.
ACADEMIC SERVICE
Departmental
Acting Director, Professional Writing Program, (Spring 2016)
Center for Comparative and Literary Studies Steering Committee (2009-2010)
Graduate Studies Committee (2008-2013)
Placement Committee (2011-2013)
Rhetoric Minor Committee, run jointly by English and Communication Departments (2007-current)
Academic Advisor (Spring 2010, Fall 2012-Fall 2013)
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Salary Committee (2009-2011)
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (2007-2010)
Writing Committee (2008-current)
ENGL 101 Curriculum Review Sub-Committee (Spring 2010)
National and International
Rhetoric Society Quarterly. Journal of the Rhetoric Society of America.
Editorial Board Member (2012-2015, 2016-2019)
Kneupper Award for Best Article of the Year Selection Committee (2014)
International Society for the History of Rhetoric.
Program Committee member for the Nineteenth Biennial Conference in Chicago, IL in July of 2013.
(Spring/Summer 2012)
Council Member (2013-2017)
Rhetorica. Journal of the International Society for the History of Rhetoric.
Manuscript reviewer (Spring 2011, Spring 2013)
American Society for the History of Rhetoric
Paper reviewer for 2010 ASHR Symposium (Spring 2010)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Byzantine Studies Association of North America; American Society for the History of Rhetoric; International Society for
the History of Rhetoric; Rhetoric Society of America.