Dr. Çiğdem Üsekes received her M.A. from the University of Minnesota (Duluth) and her Ph.D. from the University of North Dakota. Her research focus is African American drama, and her essays have appeared in Obsidian, African American Review, American Drama, New England Theatre Journal, Philological Review, and the Dictionary of Literary Biography. Her teaching specialties include modern drama (especially modern American drama), African American literature, and contemporary literature. She was the chair of the English Department from 2007 to 2009, and she is currently serving as the Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences.