BOONE, N.C. — In August, Dr. Leonardo Flores, professor in and chair of the Appalachian State University Department of English, traveled to India to teach and connect with faculty and students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur. The visit was made possible by an award from the Fulbright Specialist Program and the United States-India Educational Foundation.
Dr. Flores' research areas are electronic literature, with a focus on e-poetry, digital writing, and the history and strategic growth of the field. He’s best known for I ♥ E-Poetry, the Electronic Literature Collection, Volume 3, Third Generation Electronic Literature, and the Antología Lit(e)Lat, Volume 1. From 2023-25, Flores served as a member of a task force formed by the Modern Language Association (MLA) and Conference on College Composition and Communications, which offered guidance to the field on addressing artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on writing, pedagogy, policy, and literacy. After the dissolution of the initial task force, he joined a new MLA task force focusing on generative AI initiatives and is leading a working group that will offer guidance on AI and research.
Flores brought his expertise to IIT Jodhpur's School of Liberal Arts from August 3-16. While there, he taught a short course, served as a guest lecturer, delivered a public presentation, and connected with the institution's Digital Humanities community.
On August 6 and 8, Flores visited Dr. Natasa Thoudam’s Digital Humanities class to lecture on cyborg digital writing, or how human authors and their writing are enmeshed with digital technologies. During his lectures, he demonstrated examples of digital writing tools, including programming languages and bots.
Flores' three-day short course, Digital Writing in the Age of AI, explored how AI and digital technologies are transforming creative writing, coding, and publishing. Through readings, presentations, and workshops, students learned how to craft innovative, interactive works across digital platforms.
Dr. Leonardo Flores presents his public lecture, “The Importance of Digital Writing in the Age of AI.” Photo submitted
On August 14, Flores wrapped up his visit by delivering a public lecture titled “The Importance of Digital Writing in the Age of AI.” His presentation provided a timeline of digital writing, an overview of the moral panic around AI, and showcased emerging opportunities for the application of AI. Flores especially emphasized the critical role that the humanities can play in preparing citizens to interact with AI.
“This was a transformative opportunity for me, and I hope equally so for the faculty and graduate students in the Digital Humanities program at IIT Jodhpur,” shared Flores. “Having collaborated with them remotely for the past two years was the groundwork for this visit to be incredibly productive. I’m so grateful to my faculty hosts—Drs. Parichay Patra, Natassa Thoudam, and Tonisha Guinn—who took such good care of me, and to the incredibly resourceful and creative graduate students who made me feel so welcome and appreciated. It was a wonderful experience that I hope will lead to further collaborations and visits!”
Dr. Leonardo Flores with faculty and graduate students in IIT Jodhpur's Digital Humanities program. Photo submitted
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About the Fulbright Specialist Program
The Fulbright Specialist Program, part of the larger Fulbright Program, was established in 2001 by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The program pairs highly qualified U.S. academics and professionals with host institutions abroad to share their expertise, strengthen institutional linkages, hone their skills, gain international experience, and learn about other cultures while building capacity at their overseas host institutions through two to six week, project-based exchanges. Learn more at fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at appstate.edu.
Written by Lauren Gibbs
Edited by Dr. Leonardo Flores
September 17, 2025
BOONE, N.C.
Dr. Leo Flores is a professor in and the chair of the Appalachian State University Department of English.
Dr. Leo Flores is a professor in and the chair of the Appalachian State University Department of English.