Math Trafton, B.A., B.S., M.A., Ph.D.

Dr. Trafton began teaching at UAS in 2013. Before that, he taught at the University of Colorado, where he earned his degree in Comparative Literature. His dissertation, “The Ghostmodern: Revisionist Haunting in Turn-of-the-Century American Literature (1887-1910),” explores complexities in American ghost literature and how a shift in some treatments of literary haunting prefigure a corresponding shift from Realism to Modernism and beyond. Beyond ghost stories, Dr. Trafton is interested in such topics as flash fiction, the modern love letter, cinema, feminist studies, the avant-garde, and postcolonialism.

In the classroom, Dr. Trafton is committed to empowering students through rigorous interdisciplinary exercises that challenge students according to their interests and their abilities. He strives to support students in developing the experience, confidence, and skills to discover their voice and to use it effectively. Conversely, in all of his classes, he also challenges his students to widen their analytical perspectives and to listen thoughtfully before speaking.

Dr. Trafton has deeply valued his time in Sitka, and he sees himself henceforth as a lifelong Alaskan. He enjoys the ocean, the lush vegetation, the closeness to the natural world, and the closeness to the community. He lives in Sitka with his wife and his daughter, along with the family pets—dog and rabbit.