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UC Davis Presenters Are Making an Impact at the Computers & Writing Conference

Meet the presenters representing UC Davis and learn about their important research

  • by Shayna Schreiber

Exploring Forms of Sustainability at the Computers & Writing Conference

The Computers & Writing conference is a multi-day national academic conference in UNC Charlotte where educators and professionals discuss how technology intersects with writing, rhetoric, and types of digital communication. The theme of this year’s conference is Writing the Anthropocene: Digital Rhetorics and Sustainable Change, which focuses on different areas of sustainability. It challenges participants to think of sustainability beyond environmental practices and consider how it can extend to different communities, types of technology, labor practices, and teaching methods. The ideas and research shared at the Computers & Writing conference extend beyond higher education and help build a more inclusive future. 

 

The Topics Presented 

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Pictured is graduate student Joy Ok presenting her research.

This year, the eight UC Davis presenters included WRaCS doctoral students and alumni, Spanish and Portuguese doctoral students, University Writing Program (UWP) faculty, and Computer Science faculty. They examined how sustainability impacts types of technology and teaching practices through presentations on:

  • How to integrate AI prompt design into college curricula to improve students’ confidence and writing skills
  • Insights on the “writing lives” of UC alumni based on research from the Wayfinding Project 

  • Teaching AI literacy in Spanish and English classes through peer review and reflections

     

Fostering Sustainability 

Through their research, passion, and presentations, the UC Davis presenters are cultivating more sustainable practices across modern technology, composition studies, and rhetoric. Their contributions capture the Computers & Writing conference theme by creating more equitable futures and exploring new practices in their field. As UWP faculty, Dr. Carl Whithaus explained, “The annual Computers & Writing conference is an outstanding venue for exploring how writing technologies are shaping writing and the teaching of writing. Computers & Writing is now the conference to go to think about critical engagement with AI technologies."

 

The Presenters Representing UC Davis 

We would like to congratulate current WRaCS doctoral students: Andrea Hernandez and Joy Ok; WRaCS alumni Sophia Minnillo; Spanish and Portuguese doctoral students Ana Ortega Pérez and Angelica Gonzalez; UWP faculty Carl Whithaus and Lisa Sperber; and UC Davis Computer Science Faculty Hao-Chuan Wang on their significant contributions to the Computers & Writing conference!

 

Award Winning Contributions

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Pictured are Lisa Sperber, Sophia Minnillo, and Jason Tham, editor of Computers and Composition.

We would also like to congratulate Lisa Sperber, Marit MacArthur, Sophia Minnillo, Nicholas Stillman, and Carl Whithaus for winning the prestigious Computers and Composition Ellen Nold Article Award for their article Peer and AI Review+ Reflection (PAIRR): A human-centered approach to formative assessment. The Ellen Nold Article Award is only presented once a year for an article or book chapter that impacts the field of computers and composition studies through innovative research. Their article details how PAIRR is a positive and impactful strategy for providing high-quality writing feedback to students. Students' writing assignments go through multiple draft and revisions so they can improve as writers. Teachers want to provide students with the same opportunities and quality feedback, but a lack of time and resources can make it hard to do so. The PAIRR strategy combines the best of both practices and encourages students to think critically about the feedback they receive and learn AI literacy. Their work reflects both timely and innovative research that bridges the gap between educational equity, AI use, and student advocacy. 

 

 

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BIO

Shayna Schreiber is a third-year undergraduate, majoring in communication and minoring in professional writing. She is a Communications Specialist Intern for the Professional Writing Minor, helping students learn about writing-based internships through social media and articles she has written. In her free time, she enjoys playing the electric guitar and embroidery. To see her other work, visit or her LinkedIn profile.