Brian Kao
- Graduate Teaching Assistant
Contact Info
Personal Links
Biography —
Hi, I’m a Ph.D. student in Creative Writing at the University of Kansas’s English Department. I was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and I am excited to continue my writing journey as a bilingual author. I have published two books in Taiwan: a short fiction collection (2020) and a novel (2025).
My writing engages with themes of queer communities, identity, and trauma, which also inform my research interests in twentieth-century American fiction, particularly modernity and gender studies. I believe literature is universal, transcending borders and cultures, and that the art of language connects us as human beings. This passion also shapes my teaching philosophy: I see writing as a way for students to discover their own voices and explore their interests.
Before joining the First-Year Writing Program at KU, I worked as an ESL teacher in Taiwan. I enjoy seeing students thrive in the classroom, and I hold high hopes that as writers, readers, and teachers, we can all continue learning from the power of our own voices.
Education —
Specialization
creative writing (fiction), modernity, twentieth-century American literature, gender studies, memories and identities.
Research —
My research explores the intersections of modernity, twentieth-century American literature, and gender studies, with a particular interest in how memories and identities are constructed and represented. In addition, I practice and teach creative writing, especially fiction, as a way to investigate narrative forms and the shaping of personal and collective experiences.
Teaching —
I am currently teaching English 101 at KU, where I focus on developing students’ critical thinking and academic writing.
Selected Publications —
When the World Ends, We Are Young (末日青春，荒原之後). New Taipei City: Ink Literature, 2025.
It Was Probably Broken After All (其實應該是壞掉了). New Taipei City: Ink Literature, 2020.