Department of English

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John Coletta

W. John Coletta, who was born in Connecticut, grew up on Long Island (New York) and is presently a Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Professor Coletta, who evidently chose colleges topographically, holds a degree from each of four different time zones: a Ph.D. (1989) in English from the University of Oregon, an M.A. (1985) in English from the University of Alaska-Anchorage, an M.S. (1979) in Environmental Education Administration from George Williams College, and a B.S. in Recreation Education (1975) from the State University of New York College at Cortland. An outdoor enthusiast, Professor Coletta and his wife Laurie recently (1992) ran a summer sailing camp (on 49 ½-foot sailboats) in the British Virgin Islands. Coletta has also worked in various capacities in summers past in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and in Mount Rainier Natural Park. Professor Coletta's outdoor interests inform his research: he has published widely in the areas of literature and ecology, ecology and postmodernism, biosemiotics, the poet-naturalist John Clare, and scientific and technical writing. His specialty courses are Literature and Ecology (English 392) and Science Literature (English 365/565).  He coordinates both the Scientific and Technical Writing Minor and the Environmental Studies Minor at UW-SP. He is married to Laurie Karch and has two young children, Emily and Clark.