Michael Chiddo
This is the second post in a series of interviews conducted by the Woodruff Library with the 2021-2022 Woodruff Library and Emory Center for Digital Scholarship (ECDS) Fellows. Funded by the Laney Graduate School, the library and ECDS award fellowships to advanced graduate students expecting to complete their dissertations by the end of the fellowship period. Fellows are placed within the Woodruff Library and ECDS to work in an area related to their subject specialization or interest, culminating in a formal presentation in the spring.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from?
I am originally from Long Island, New York. I received my BA from Hunter College in 2008 and my MA from Stony Brook University in 2015.
What’s your favorite book?
I don’t know that I have a favorite book, but lately I’ve been enjoying “Punk and Revolution: Seven More Interpretations of Peruvian Reality.”
What’s your favorite thing about Emory/Atlanta?
My favorite thing about Atlanta is the traffic!
What are you researching for your dissertation?
In my dissertation I articulate a reading of Friedrich Nietzsche’s views on nihilism and life affirmation with which I can diagnose problems in contemporary social, political, and ethical philosophy, as well as propose possibilities for moving beyond them.
What interested you about the Woodruff Library Fellowship?
I am trying to get more experience on the service end of university work, because I think it is important, and it offers me a wider range of possible job opportunities.
What will you be working on this year for your Woodruff Library Fellowship?
I will be working on programming, specifically on writing-based programming for LGS students, as well as on expanding the services offered by both Woodruff Library and Emory Writing Center staff.