Megan L. Becker, Ph.D., (Becker-Leckrone) joined the English department in 1999, having taught previously at the University at Albany (SUNY Albany), San Diego State University, and the University of California, Irvine. She specializes in literary theory and Victorian fiction and nonfiction. She has published essays in New Literary History, Modern Language Notes, Victoriographies, and elsewhere. Her 2005 book, Julia Kristeva and Literary Theory (Palgrave) earned her the UNLV College of Liberal Art’s William Morris Award for Excellence in Research (2006). She has received the Rita Deanin Abbey Award for Excellence in Teaching (2010), the UNLV Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award (2013), and was the state-wide winner of the NSHE Board of Regents’ Teaching Award (2013). Her work in late-Victorian studies – of Oscar Wilde and Walter Pater in particular – have been supported by a UNLV Research Development Award (2008) and National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar Grant (2009).

Becker regularly teaches English 303: Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism, a required course for English majors, along with undergraduate and graduate courses on literary nonfiction, narratology, aesthetics, and Victorian studies. She has served as the English Department Liaison to and Advisory Board Member of the Black Mountain Institute since 2006.