I’m an Assistant Professor of Technical Communication and Rhetoric in the Department of English at Texas Tech University. My primary research interest is in sensory and environmental rhetorics. My secondary research interest is in generative artificial intelligence (AI). I use intersectional feminist, Indigenous, and decolonial rhetorical frameworks to inform the work I do.
My primary research investigates how sensation is hierarchically categorized in Western cultures to privilege the visual sense sometimes at the expense of other sensory modes. I work toward a distributed understanding of sensation, and I focus particularly on the role of olfaction (our sense of smell) in public discourse about environmental conditions. My recent research engages questions regarding how olfactory rhetoric (language about our sense of smell and scent) is influenced by race, class, and gender. Through this research, we can learn how people use olfactory rhetoric to discuss cultural differences, environmental hazards, gendered activity, and living conditions.
My most recent research examines the implicit bias and rhetorical intelligence of AI tools and the ethical implications of how we use the tools.
This website also documents my development as a scholar and teacher. The site chronicles my interests and features interdisciplinary work I have developed in other areas including grassroots activisms, sensory rhetorics, environmental justice, intersectional ecofeminism, and American Indian studies.
I’m always interested in hearing from colleagues and past, current, or potential students. You can email me at Lisa.Phillips@ttu.edu or Lisa.Lou.Phillips@gmail.com. Thank you for visiting.
Lisa L. Phillips, Ph.D. 