Ryan is the director of the Poorvu Center’s Graduate Writing Lab (GWL), which supports Yale Graduate students in all aspects of written, oral, and visual communication. His team of four GWL directors and 40 graduate student Fellows offers workshops, study halls, peer-review groups, 1–1 writing consultations, and a range of public speaking programming. They help GSAS and professional school students make an impact on the world by presenting their work across a wide range of disciplines, genres, and audiences. He’s especially interested in helping graduate students bridge the gap between academia and the broader public by communicating their research to nonspecialist audiences. Beyond the suite of programs offered by the GWL, Ryan is committed to making a positive impact on the broader culture of writing in which Yale graduate students learn and grow. Ryan teaches a humor writing course (ENGL 3459) every spring and chairs the Poorvu Center’s Community Values Committee. He’s been at Yale since 2010.
Before joining the Graduate Writing Lab in January 2021, Ryan was Associate Director of the Yale College Writing Center for over ten years, working with a team of Writing Partners to support Yale’s undergraduate writers. He earned his BA in English and philosophy from Colby College in 2002 and his MA (2004) and PhD (2010) in English Language and Literature from Brandeis, where he also served as director of the writing center.
Outside of work, Ryan spends his time reading, running, and having outdoor adventures with his wife and two kids. He has run ten marathons (and counting). His favorite place is the Farmington Canal Greenway, where he runs, rides bikes with his family, and says hi to strangers.