Siân White, professor of English, came to JMU in 2009 after earning a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame, an M.A. in English from Loyola Marymount University, and a B.A. in English with a minor in Spanish from UCLA. With specializations in British and Irish modernism, Irish Studies, and narrative theory, she focuses her research primarily on intimacy, gender, and the politics of form. She co-edited The Edinburgh Companion to Irish Modernism (2021) and has participated in study abroad programs in Spain, as an undergraduate; Ireland, as a graduate student; and London, as a faculty member. A native Californian, she enjoys writing, swimming, traveling, drinking coffee, and being with loved ones, including her giant dog, Howard. 

As associate dean, Siân provides oversight and leadership for undergraduate recruitment, student affairs, curriculum, and communications and marketing.  She also coordinates the JMU Arts and Letters Undergraduate Research Conference.