in 1987, eckart used a visit to the frankfurter buchmesse to relocate to the federal republic of germany; she remained, however, a citizen of the german democratic republic. in 1988 she emigrated to the united states, where she continued her studies. in 1993 she earned her master of arts at the university of texas at san antonio, and her phd from the university of minnesota. she has worked as a professor of german and spanish at the southeast missouri state university in cape girardeau.