Dr. Lear’s research interests include early 20th century American literature, literature of the American South, science fiction, digital media and pedagogy, and women’s literature. Her current research focuses on the friendship between Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Ellen Glasgow and how their literature and biographical details informed that friendship. Dr. Lear has worked with the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence in developing a hybrid version of her introductory course in literature and has pioneered an interdisciplinary approach to science fiction in her upper level course in interdisciplinary research.
Currently, Dr. Lear is the president elect and a trustee for the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Society. She edits the quarterly newsletter for that society. She is also a member of the American Literature Association. Dr. Lear advises students in the McNair Scholars program at the university as they prepare for graduate work in a variety of disciplines and is one of the faculty editors for the McNair Scholars Journal.