Derek Van Ittersum is a Ph.D. candidate in the Center for Writing Studies in the English Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

:: Contact Information
338 English Building | MC-718
217-244-1391
idvan@uiuc.edu
http://memoryfailure.net

:: Biographical Statement
I earned my BA in English from Drake University in 2001, where I also worked in the Writer's Workshop. I enjoyed working with writers so much, that I made the move to Illinois for graduate school, where I'm currently completing my dissertation. My research interests center on computer technology and sociohistoric theory, exploring how new tools enter our lives and affect our work as much as we attempt to shape them. My dissertation examines both historical and contemporary use of innovative computer technology for writing, beginning with the systems associated with computer engineer Douglas Engelbart, and ending with interviews with modern writers about their use and resistance to innovative writing tools.

:: Courses Taught
: Rhetoric 105 – Principles of Composition
: Rhetoric 105 – Principles of Composition (Ethnography of the University section)
: Rhetoric 108 – Forms of Composition
: Rhetoric 233 – Principles of Composition (Ethnography of the University section)

:: Other Departmental Positions Held
: Peer Advisor – Dept. of Rhetoric
: Rhetoric 105 Textbook Selection Committee

:: Research Interests
new media, computers and writing, rhetoric, literacy