Weinberg College welcomes Associate Professor of Instruction Shuwen Li to the Cook Family Writing Program! Li recently answered a few questions about his background and what inspired him to pursue his area of study.
Where are you from? Where did you study?
I’m originally from China and completed my doctoral study in Rhetoric, Scientific and Technical Communication at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
What inspired you to pursue your area of study?
It’s an interesting journey. To be honest, writing was my weakest subject when I was studying English in China. I spent hours staring at the screen of my laptop to simply figure out what I would like to write about. However, I used to be good at writing in Chinese; I could think well. My weakness of writing in English bothered me a lot and eventually motivated me to pursue an MA in Professional and Technical Writing and finally a doctoral degree. I wanted to think and communicate across my language barriers—and I wanted to generate some real-life impacts through my writing. Scientific and technical communication is grounded in rhetoric—we use symbols (e.g., texts, visuals, and videos) to induce actions in people. I was fascinated by this area of study.
What are you working on right now that excites you the most?
I am still working at my own writing and trying to figure out what writing means. I admire those who write well, especially those who present themselves vividly in their writing. I admire those who write and communicate to not only transmit information—but also induce actions and spark new ideas humanly and respectfully. Writing is difficult for me; nevertheless, the journey of improving my own writing excites me. I endeavor to use my personal struggles with writing and intercultural communication to help my students grow and act responsibly.
What is most fulfilling to you about teaching?
Seeing students develop a sense of belonging, curiosity, drive for the unknown, empathy, and respect to others. I think of writing as a socially constructed, interpretative, and evolving process. I feel happy when I see students derive their writing from social interactions (e.g., chatting with their peers and engaging themselves in peer reviews), develop an in-depth understanding of their everyday life through writing, and experiment new modes of communication. I hope to help my students see writing as a resource to discover their surroundings and get excited to adventure.
Why did you decide to come to Northwestern?
The Cook Family Writing Program. I admire their vision of writing. I used to work at the Sweetland Center for Writing at the University of Michigan, a unit that is similar to the Cook Family Writing Program. Although it is hard to say goodbye to my colleagues at Sweetland who mentored and trained me for years, I would like to be part of Cook program’s work in technical and business writing as well as their effort of assisting international and multilingual students. I’d like to see new things to happen.
What’s a fun fact that you want to share with the Northwestern community?
I like cats and other fluffy animals.