MAEERA SHREIBER portrait
  • Chair of Jewish Studies Initiative, Religious Studies Program, College of Humanities
  • Affiliated Faculty, Middle East Studies Program
  • Professor, English
801-581-7478

Professional Service

  • American Jewish Studies Association. Role: Judge (member). Jordan Schnitzer Book Prize Awards Committee. 05/2021 - present
  • The Grant Center for the American Jewish Experience, Tulane University. Role: Founding member. "Think Tank" on the Status of Jewish American Literature. 12/2020 - present
  • American Jewish Studies Association. Role: Co-chair. Task Force on Contingent Faculty. 11/2020 - present
  • Wesleyan University Press. Reader for new book from Wesleyan University Press on American women Hebrew poets. 09/2015 - 10/2015
  • Rutgers University Press. Book manuscript review ("Borrowed Voices"). 08/2015 - 10/2015
  • Modern Language Association. Executive Committee member, MLA's Division of Jewish American Literature. 12/2014 - 12/2018
  • Stanford University Press, Oxford University Press, etc. Review and evaluate book manuscripts for university presses. I just finished reviewing a Jewish Studies manuscript for Rutgers University Press. 10/2014 - present
  • *Studies in Jewish American Literature*. Editorial Board. 06/2010 - present
  • *Prooftexts* (scholarly journal). Editorial Board. 06/2010 - present
  • National Endowment for the Humanities. Role: Review and evaluate proposals for NEH Fellowships. Regular evaluator (as a former Fellow). 01/01/2008 - present
  • Scholarly journals, including PMLA, Contemporary Literature, American Literature, Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature, etc. Role: Review and evaluate articles submitted for publication. Regular reviewer. 01/01/2008 - present
  • Stanford Humanities Center. Role: Review and evaluate proposals for Stanford Humanities Center Fellowships. Regular evaluator (as a former Fellow). 01/01/2008 - present

Internal Service

  • Graduate Studies Committee. Member, 08/2022 - present. Department service.
  • Hillel International Campus Climate Initiative at the University of Utah. Advisory Committee Member, 09/2021 - present. University service.
  • Executive Committee. Member, 08/2021 - present. Department service.
  • Teaching Committee. Member, 08/2021 - 08/2022. Department service.
  • Diversity Task Force. Member, 08/2020 - present. Department service.
  • Anti-Racism Task Force. Member, 08/2020 - present. Department service.
  • Chair and organizer of the annual U Remembers Holocaust Education Program (university-wide educational experience). This year's program included a University-wide panel on "Anti-Semitism" in January 2020. Organizer and chair, 10/2019 - present. University service.
  • College Awards Committee. member, 08/2019 - present. College service.
  • SLCC Outreach Task Force. member, 08/2019 - present. Department service.
  • Faculty Advisor to University of Utah Hillel (Jewish student group). Faculty Advisor, 02/2019 - present. University service.
  • Selection Committee for Fulbright Postgraduate Student . Committee member, 09/2018 - present. University service.
  • Organizing the 2017 "U REMEMBERS" program, the University's Holocaust Remembrance events, focusing this year on "The Power of Propaganda"--including the keynote address by Professor Jason Stanley of Yale University, and a panel discussion and student dialogue and other events. Chair and organizer,, 11/2017 - 11/2017. University service.
  • Reading and evaluating student funding applications for the UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities) program. Evaluator, 10/2017 - 10/2017. University service.
  • Organizing the 2016 "U REMEMBERS" program, the University's Holocaust Remembrance events, focusing this year on "Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia"--including the keynote addresses by Professors Simram Jeet Singh and Reuven Firestone in the Gould Auditorium, a panel discussion and student dialogue at the Hinckley Institute on "Religious Discrimination: A Legal Perspective," and other events. Chair and organizer, 10/2016 - 10/2016. University service.
  • Organizing the 2015 "U REMEMBERS" program, the University's Holocaust Remembrance events, focusing this year on "Policing Sexuality: Then and Now"--including the keynote addresses by Jeniffer Evans and Joseph Fischel in the Gould Auditorium, a film screening of "Aimee and Jaguar" at the Union Theater, and a panel discussion at the Hinckley Institute on "Born Normal, Born Diseased: The Construction and Regulation of Immutable Sexual Types." Chair and organizer, 10/27/2015 - 10/29/2015. Chair and organizer, 10/2015 - 10/2015. University service.
  • Invited, organized, and hosted a set of presentations by distinguished poet and translator Peter Cole, including a lecture at the Marriott Library on the Library's Jewish collections; a discussion on translation in LNCO; and a poetry reading at Weller's Books. Chair and organizer, 10/2015 - 10/2015. University service.
  • Faculty Advisor for "Interfaith Youth Core," an interfaith student group at the University of Utah. Faculty Advisor, 09/2015 - present. University service.
  • I was appointed Director of the Religious Studies Program. Director, 10/2014 - 02/2018. University service.
  • Organizing the 2014 "U REMEMBERS" program, the University's Holocaust Remembrance events, including the keynote address by Professor Beverley Mitchell from Wesley Theological Seminary, and a curated discussion on race and state violence with faculty from Ethnic Studies, Anthropology, as well as from the College of Humanities. Chair and organizer, 10/2014 - 10/2014. University service.
  • Appointed to The Dolowitz Lecture on Human Rights Committee. 01/2014 - present. University service.
  • I organized and hosted a talk by Professor Vivian Mann (Jewish Theological Seminary) on "A Shared Tradition: The Islamic Art of Muslims and Jews" on October 24. Chair and Organizer, 07/2013 - 10/2013. University service.
  • I organized and hosted a lecture by Professor Hartley Lachter, Director of Jewish studies at Muhlenberg College, on "Human Bodies in Divine Form: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Kabbalah". Host and organizer, 02/06/2013 - 02/06/2013. University service.
  • Organized a lecture by Israeli poet Rachel Tzvia Back and Israeli-Palestinian relations. Chair and Organizer, 02/2013 - 02/2013. University service.
  • In March 2013, I hosted and organized two different presentations from Professor Admiel Kosman, whom I had invited to come speak to the Salt Lake community: on March 4, he spoke on "Reading Martin Buber through the Eyes of the Talmudic Storyteller" at the Salt Lake City Main Library; and on March 6 he spoke on "Who is Closer to God? Ancient Jewish and Christian Traditions in the Spiritual Power of Women" at the Jewish Community Center. Chair and Organizer, 01/2013 - 03/2013. University service.
  • As Chair of the Jewish Studies Initiative, I have been very active in program development, administration, fundraising, etc., in an effort to develop a Jewish Studies program at the U. Chair of Jewish Studies Initiative, College of Humanities, 08/2012 - present. University service.
  • In 2012, I organized and hosted a one-day symposium on "Jewish Studies" as part of a larger initiative devoted to developing a Jewish Studies Program at the University of Utah. The symposium took place on February 7, 2013. Organizer and chair, 08/2012 - 02/2013. University service.
  • The Presidential Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW). committee member, 12/2011 - 06/2012. University service.
  • Chair and organizer of the Tanner Humanities Center Faculty Research Interest Group on Jewish Studies. Chair and organizer, 09/2011 - 06/2012. University service.
  • Developing the Jewish Studies Initiative as part of the University's Religious Studies Program, College of Humanities. 08/2011 - present. University service.
  • I organized and hosted a poetry reading/presentation by renowned Israeli poet Admiel Kosman on November 11, 2011. Chair and organizer, 07/2011 - 11/11/2011. University service.
  • RPT Committee for Professor Angela Smith's promotion evaluation for tenure. I chaired the committee and wrote the teaching report., 03/2011 - 03/2012. Department service.
  • Steering Committee member, Program in Religious Studies, College of Humanities. 08/2010 - 08/2020. College service.
  • University Diversity Committee member. 08/2010 - 06/2012. University service.
  • I organized and hosted a one-day symposium (10/06/2011) on "Secularity/Sacredness: Beyond the Divide," featuring Professor Ann Pellegrini of New York University as well as faculty members from across the College of Humanities. Chair and organizer, 08/2010 - 10/06/2011. College service.
  • Middle East Center and Language & Literatures Search Committee in Hebrew Studies. 08/2010 - 08/2011. College service.
  • Middle East Center Search Committee for the Wayne Owens Chair. 03/2010 - 08/2011. University service.
  • RPT Committee for Professor Craig Dworkin's case for promotion to Full Professor. 08/2009 - 06/2010. Department service.
  • Affiliated Faculty member of the Middle East Center. 06/01/2009 - present. College service.
  • Lecture and Colloquia Committee. Chair, 09/2008 - 09/2013. Department service.
  • Tanner Humanities Center Research Interest Group on "Religion and Cultural Studies". Member and participant, 08/2008 - 08/2010. University service.
  • Department's In-House Colloquia Series. Initiator and organizer, 01/01/2008 - 09/2013. Department service.
  • College Executive Committee, 2007-2008. English Department representative, 09/2007 - 09/2008. College service.
  • M.A. Exam Committee. Committee member, 08/2007 - 08/2010. Department service.
  • Executive Committee. Elected member (for 3 years), 08/01/2007 - 08/01/2010. Department service.
  • Tanner Humanities Center Research interest Group on Poetry and Poetics. Coordinator, 08/2004 - 08/2010. University service.

Community Partnership

  • Co-organizer of the Salt Lake Film Society's Jewish Film Festival ("L'Chaim!"), March 6-11, 2021 . 03/2021 - 03/2021
  • Member of Salt Lake Film Society's Cultural Committee. 11/2019 - present
  • I am the University representative/liaison to "Utahns for Religious Scholarship," an ecumenical organization devoted to advancing religious literacy in Utah. 11/2016 - present
  • Organized and facilitated various student and faculty activities, and engagement by the U's Religious Studies Program, at the Parliament of World Religions, October 2015, Salt Lake City. 08/2015 - 10/2015
  • I gave a talk at the Springville (UT) Art Museum on "The Visual Arts from a Jewish Perspective.". 12/2014 - 12/2014
  • Participant in SLC Main Library's panel on "Gender, Religion, and Authority" on March 1, 2014. 03/2014 - 03/2014
  • I led a session on The Dove Keepers for the Dead Sea Scrolls Book Club at the Leonardo Museum, March 2, 2014. 03/2014 - 03/2014
  • I am a member of the Leonardo Museum's Dead Sea Scrolls Advisory Committee: I helped the museum put together their speaker series on the Dead Sea Scrolls, and I organized a monthly book club relating to the "Dead Sea Scrolls" exhibit. 08/2013 - 08/2014
  • Chair of The McGillis School Jewish Cultural Committee. 08/2007 - 08/2010
  • Member of Board of Trustees of The McGillis School (since 2006). 08/2006 - 08/2010
  • Member of Board of Trustees of Congregation Kol Ami. 06/2003 - 06/2018

Outreach

  • I now lead and teach a local Women's Study Group for the United Jewish Federation. 11/2020 - present
  • English Department SLCC Outreach Task Force member. 08/2019 - present
  • Faculty Advisor to University of Utah Hillel (Jewish student group). . 02/2019 - present
  • Scholar in Residence, Temple Har Shalom Congregation, Park City, Utah, July 13-14, 2018. Presented a talk on "Losing My Religion.". 07/2018 - 08/2018
  • Presentation on "Holy Envy" at Sam Weller's Bookstore, in their "Books and Bridges" series, February 15, 2018. 02/2018 - 02/2018
  • "Can Poetry Help Us Pray?" Invited presentation on the relationship between poetry and prayer. Congregation Ahavath Beth israel, Boise, Idaho, December 9, 2017. 12/09/2017 - 12/09/2017
  • Led a Hanukkah service and celebration at Wasatch Academy, Mt. Pleasant, Utah. 12/2015 - 12/2015
  • Taught a seminar on Emily Dickinson to Utah high school English teachers, as part of a week-long summer workshop on "Literary Classics" at the Tanner Humanities Center. 07/2015 - 07/2015

Honors & Awards

  • I was selected to the 2023 Breadloaf Translation Workshop, which took place in June 2023 in Middlebury, VT. Breadloaf Translation Workshop, 02/2023
  • I was awarded a Visiting Professorship in Jewish Studies for Spring term 2023 by the University of Southern California and Hebrew Union College. University of Southern California and Hebrew Union College, 01/2023
  • I was awarded a Visiting Professorship in American Studies, Tel Aviv University, summer 2019. Tel Aviv University, Israel, 02/2019
  • Fulbright Scholarship to Israel: I spent February to July 2017 in Israel, at the University of Haifa. U.S. Fulbright Program, 07/2017
  • Visiting Scholar (for month of January 2016). Center for Jewish History, New York, NY, 01/2016
  • University Research Council (URC) Grant, University of Utah . University of Utah, 04/2015
  • Tanner Humanities Center Fellowship, Spring 2016. Tanner Humanities Center, University of Utah, 03/2015
  • Fellowship for 2015-2016. Tanner Humanities Center, 12/2014
  • Elected to the Executive Committee of the MLA Division of Jewish American Literature. Modern Language Association, 12/2013
  • Fellowship recipient for The Hess Family Fellowship Seminar in Holocaust Studies, Holocaust Museum, Washington, D.C., January 3-8, 2014. The Holocaust Museum, Washington, D.C., 10/2013
  • Nominated for Jewish Studies Steering Committee. Association for Jewish Studies, 10/2012
  • Nominated to Division of Jewish American Literature Executive Committee. Modern Language Association, 10/2012
  • Visiting Fellow, Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies, 04/2012
  • The Association for Jewish Studies’ 2011 Jordan Schnitzer Book Award in Jewish Literature and Linguistics, Honorable Mention Prize, for *Singing in a Strange Land: A Jewish American Poetics* . The Association for Jewish Studies (AJS), 12/2011
  • Great Ideas in the Humanities Award. College of Humanities, 10/2011
  • Schusterman Center for Israel Studies Summer Institute Fellowship, Brandeis University, Summer 2009; two weeks at Brandeis and two weeks in Israel. Schusterman Center for Israel Studies and Brandeis University, 06/01/2009
  • The Rabbi Sally J. Priesand Visiting Professorship of Jewish and Women’s Studies, Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles, Spring 2008 . Hebrew Union College, 01/01/2008

In the Media

  • Interviewed by KSL TV's Sandra Olney about "College Students and Faith" on ksl.com, December 26, 2016 . 12/26/2016.
  • I organized, and was a speaker on, a panel at the Hinckley Institute on "Born Normal, Born Diseased: The Construction and Regulation of Immutable Sexual Types" as part of "Policing Sexuality," our 2015 "U Remembers" program on Holocaust education. This panel was recorded and streamed live on KUER radio, and replayed later in the week on KUER's "Radio West" program. 10/29/2015.
  • I was quoted on KSL News and on www.ksl.com in an article on the Women's Assembly (in which I was an invited presenter) at the Parliament of World Religions, October 15, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT. 10/18/2015.
  • I was interviewed on KUED-TV about our "Days of Remembrance" Holocaust remembrance program. 03/2014.
  • Story and interview about Jewish Studies in the University of Utah Chronicle. 02/2013.
  • Interviewed and featured in front-page story on poet Allen Grossman, in *The Forward* newspaper. 12/2010.