Dr. Bill Nowak
Dr. Bill Nowak
Associate Professor of SpanishHistory, Humanities, and LanguagesBiography
Bill Nowak, associate professor of Spanish, holds a B.A. in Spanish and English from St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, as well as an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Romance Languages (with a specialization in Spanish Literature) from Princeton University. Before coming to UHD in 2002, he had taught at several universities and colleges in Louisiana, Massachusetts and Texas. Currently he serves as Assistant Chair of the Department of Arts & Humanities and as Degree Coordinator for the Spanish B.A. program. He teaches all levels of Spanish at UHD, from introductory to advanced undergraduate, including courses on composition and grammar, Spanish literature, Hispanic film, Hispanic cultural history and English-Spanish translation. He also contributes to the Humanities program by teaching Hispanic Culture and Civilization in English. His research interests include renaissance and baroque Spanish literature, particularly picaresque narratives and the Celestinesque tradition of Spanish literature, as well as Spanish and Mexican film. He has presented and published in the areas of literary, film and cultural studies focusing on historical periods as diverse as Golden Age Spain and 1950's Mexico under the PRI. He is an avid traveler and has visited many parts of the Hispanic world outside of Texas, from Spain to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Chile and Argentina.Degrees Earned
Doctorate degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Romance Languages & Literature (Princeton University , 1992)
Courses Taught
SPAN 1401: Elementary Spanish I
SPAN 2301: Intermediate Spanish I
SPAN 3322: Translation
SPAN 3385: Introduction to Hispanic Film
SPAN 4098: Spanish Portfolio
SPAN 4380: Field Experience in Spanish
UHD 2304: University Seminar-Culture
Experience Qualifications
Dr. Nowak is an Associate Professor of Spanish at UHD. He holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University in Romance Languages with a specialization in Spanish Literature. His graduate coursework included classes on Spanish and Latin American literature. His research focuses on Spanish literature of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as well as on Hispanic film and visual culture from both Spain and Latin America. He has more than 20 years of experience teaching Spanish language and composition (all levels from beginner’s to graduate-level composition [at Boston College]), introduction to Spanish-English translation, Hispanic literature (with an emphasis on medieval and Golden Age Spanish literature), Hispanic film (including both Spain and Latin America), and the cultures and civilizations of Spain and Latin America. As the longstanding Degree Coordinator for the B.A. in Spanish, Dr. Nowak is responsible for directing SPAN 4380 (Spanish Field Experience) and acting as liaison with community partners who agree to supervise students on the job. He also coordinates SPAN 4098, the Spanish Portfolio for graduating Spanish majors.
Teaching and Professional Experience:
2002-present: Assistant and Associate Professor of Spanish, UHD, Houston, TX.
2000-2001: Global Training Manager, e-Solutions, Cable & Wireless, Houston, TX.
1994-1999: Assistant Professor of Spanish, University of Houston (Main Campus), Houston, TX.
1993-1994: Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish, Boston College, Boston, MA.
• 1991-1993: Instructor of Spanish, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA.
• 1988-1989; 1990-1991: Instructor of Spanish, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA.