While her primary research focus tends to be on teaching writing in the university, she has always been fascinated with the American Southwest’s many spiritual traditions. She has also studied and presented on the commercialization of national parks such as Yellowstone. Currently, in addition to her projects on teaching writing, she is studying the 31 Points of Pride, both “natural” and built spaces in the Phoenix, AZ area that have been voted by residents to represent what is best about Phoenix.