Brent Henze

Associate Professor
252-328-6699
Bate 2130
henzeb@ecu.edu

About

Brent Henze’s primary research area is the rhetoric of science, particularly the nineteenth-century empirical sciences. His research examines the emergence of new reporting genres in British ethnological science, the scientific treatment of racial difference, the formation of scientific institutions, and lay participation in scientific research. He is currently studying early forms of scientific “crowdsourcing”: how 19th century scientific institutions motivated and prepared travelers to collect scientific data and specimens. His teaching interests include technical and professional writing, document design, situated and field-based learning, and writing in technical and scientific disciplines. He currently serves as graduate advisor in technical and professional communication program and coordinator of the English department’s undergraduate and graduate internship programs.

Education

  • B.A. Hamilton College
  • M.A. Syracuse University
  • Ph.D. Penn State University

Research Interests

  • Technical Writing
  • Scientific Rhetoric
  • Science and the Public
  • 19th Century British Culture
  • Technical Editing
  • Document Design & Visual Rhetoric
  • Field-based learning

Courses Taught

  • ENGL 7765: International and Intercultural Communication
  • ENGL 7750: Writing Public Science
  • ENGL 7730: Issues in Technical Communication
  • ENGL 7712: Grant and Proposal Writing
  • ENGL 7702: Empirical Research Design
  • ENGL 6740: Professional Writing Internships
  • ENGL 6721: Copyediting in Technical Communication
  • ENGL 4890: English internships
  • ENGL 3880: Writing for Business & Industry
  • ENGL 3820: Scientific Writing