princeton creative writing portfolio

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., should you submit supplementary material to colleges.

Are you an artist or musician? Do you have a published poem under your belt? Have another noteworthy talent? You might be wondering which boxes on your college application to check to represent these achievements. Learn about the benefits (and risks) of submitting supplementary materials to colleges.

What are Supplementary Materials?

If you have a skill or an exceptional achievement that can’t be demonstrated on your application, some colleges give you the option to submit visual, audio, or video samples of original work. Depending on the school, supplemental materials may include:

Audio recording
Musical score
Art portfolio
Dance video
Creative writing samples
Academic paper
Research abstract
Extra letters of recommendations
Expanded high school resume

Keep in mind, most admitted students do not submit supplemental materials (unless required by or recommended by a program such as Music or Fine Arts). Admissions committees still place the most weight on required materials like essays and test scores.

Before You Submit College Supplements

1. check college policies..

There is no blanket policy when it comes to supplemental materials. Check the admissions website for every school you are considering. If they don't accept supplements, don't send any!

2. Who will review?

In some cases, faculty members—not admissions committees—evaluate supplements. So if you submit a short film, expect that a film professor might be the one critiquing your directing skills. You should feel confident that your work is strong and a necessary piece of your overall application.

3. Think carefully before submitting anything extra.

Admissions committees read thousands and thousands of applications every cycle. Use caution before giving them more to read! An additional letter of recommendation from another teacher won't necessarily tell colleges anything new about you but a letter from an employer might.

Read More: 6 Ways Hobbies Can Get You Into College

4. Follow the directions.

Colleges that accept supplements will list guidelines on their website for how many art pieces to include in a portfolio, acceptable file formats, and how to submit. There might even be a small submission fee. Keep in mind that you will not get your work back, so don’t send originals.

5. What's your story?

College supplements should complement what you say about yourself in the rest of your application. Are you a future STEM major? Consider submitting a recommendation from your summer research mentor. Did you write in your application that you have a passion for creative writing? A carefully curated selection of original poems could be a good addition to your application, especially if you plan to enroll in creative writing workshops in college.

6. If you’re not sure, ask your college counselor.

It’s always a smart idea to schedule a meeting with your college counselor before hitting “send.” A college counselor can help you strategize how to play up your strengths to your target schools .

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Undergraduate Announcement 2024 - 2025

Lewis center for the arts, general information, program offerings:.

The Lewis Center for the Arts is an academic unit made up of programs in creative writing, dance, theater, music theater and visual arts, as well as the Princeton Atelier . Lewis Center courses are offered with the conviction that art making is an essential tool for examining our histories and our most pressing social challenges, envisioning creative responses, and making sense of our lives in collaboration with others. Students find and build connections between their majors and their arts practice and scholarship, and are encouraged to explore the ways their LCA courses align with other academic interests. Curricula in programs include both introductory and advanced courses in fields as wide ranging as choreography, lighting design, sculpture, screenwriting, ballet, printmaking, photography, performance theory, film production, hip hop, painting, poetry and fiction writing, to name only a few. Princeton's arts faculty and facilities are second to none and dedicated to working closely with undergraduates. The Lewis Center provides a home for students who are new to the arts, those who aspire to professional careers in art making, and those eager to use the arts to deepen their thinking about the world and themselves.

Program Offerings

Academic opportunities in the creative and performing arts.

The Programs in Creative Writing, Dance, Theater, Music Theater, and Visual Arts are offered under the auspices of the Lewis Center for the Arts, while the Program in Music Performance is offered under the auspices of the Department of Music. For information about each of these programs of study and the courses they offer, please refer to their separate entries in this catalog.

Academic Majors Involving Creative Work

Various academic departments offer special opportunities and tracks that involve creative work. The Department of English offers tracks in creative writing, theater and performance studies, and arts and media. The Department of Art and Archaeology offers a major in the history of art and studio arts. The Department of Comparative Literature offers a track in literary study and the creative arts. For more information about these and other opportunities, please refer to specific department entries in this catalog.

University Scholar Program

Finally, the University Scholar Program is designed for "a small group of students with outstanding and demonstrated talent in an academic or creative area that requires a substantial commitment of time and that cannot be pursued within the regular curriculum," such as artists who are already balancing the demands of a professional career with their educational requirements.

Visiting Artists and Fellows

The Lewis Center for the Arts hosts two fellowship programs designed to support emerging professional artists. The Hodder Fellowship offers an academic year of financial support to artists in areas including creative writing, dance, music, theater and visual arts to pursue their own independent projects. The Hodder Fellows can pursue “a year of studious leisure” working on their own independent projects.

The Princeton Arts Fellowship offers a two-year term during which artists engage with the University community and also pursue their own projects. The Princeton Arts Fellowship is open to emerging artists with extraordinary potential and a significant record of achievement across all fields, including creative writing, dance, music, theater and visual arts. Princeton Arts Fellows might teach a class, create new work or collaborate with students on their artistic projects. Though Princeton Arts Fellows need not reside in Princeton, significant engagement with the University community is expected.

Princeton Atelier

The Princeton Atelier is a unique program that brings together guest artists from different disciplines to collaborate on new work. A painter might team up with a composer, a choreographer might join with an electrical engineer, a company of theater artists might engage with environmental scientists, or a poet might connect with a pianist. How do artists who work in different media create art together? How do their different practices, experiences, methods and assumptions influence each other's art making? Each Atelier finds entirely new answers to these questions. Each collaboration involves Princeton students as witnesses to the creative process, as participants in the new work, and, most important, as developing artists in their own rights.

Unlike studio courses in other programs, Atelier courses are one-time events built around the visiting artists' newest work and current preoccupations. As the artists negotiate their collaborative partnership, they share their expertise and experience with students. Atelier courses typically include reading assignments and creative projects; the day-to-day activities usually include both discussion and "action." Although Ateliers are process oriented, they almost always culminate in a work-in-progress reading, showing, exhibition or performance of some kind.

Princeton Atelier courses are open to all students, but admission is sometimes determined by application, audition or portfolio review. At least two Atelier courses are offered each fall and spring, and each Atelier course is cross-listed with another program or department. Please see each semester's course listings at the Lewis Center website .

For more information please contact the Atelier program assistant at [email protected] .

Additional Information

The experience of working in collaborative art making gives students a grounding in working together in any number of contexts — a law firm, an investment company, a tech start-up — perhaps even society at large.

Judith Hamera

Executive Director

Marion F. Young

Executive Committee

Elena Araoz, Theater, LCA
Tina M. Campt, Art and Archaeology
Katie Farris, Lewis Center for the Arts
Tina Fehlandt, Lewis Center for the Arts
Judith Hamera, Lewis Center for the Arts
Christopher J. Harris, Lewis Center for the Arts
Aleksandar Hemon, Lewis Center for the Arts
Brian E. Herrera, Lewis Center for the Arts
A.M. Homes, Lewis Center for the Arts
Ilya Kaminsky, Lewis Center for the Arts
Deana Lawson, Lewis Center for the Arts
Yiyun Li, Lewis Center for the Arts
Pamela E. Lins, Visual Arts, LCA
Susan S. Marshall, Lewis Center for the Arts
Moon Molson, Lewis Center for the Arts
Paul B. Muldoon, Lewis Center for the Arts
Nicolás Pereda, Lewis Center for the Arts
Kirstin Valdez Quade, Lewis Center for the Arts
David W. Reinfurt, Lewis Center for the Arts
Joe Scanlan, Lewis Center for the Arts
Patricia Smith, Lewis Center for the Arts
Lloyd Suh, Lewis Center for the Arts
Jeffrey Whetstone, Lewis Center for the Arts
Rhaisa Williams, Lewis Center for the Arts
Stacy E. Wolf, Lewis Center for the Arts
Tina M. Campt
Christopher J. Harris
Aleksandar Hemon
Ilya Kaminsky
Deana Lawson
Susan S. Marshall
Paul B. Muldoon
Joe Scanlan
Patricia Smith
Jeffrey Whetstone
Stacy E. Wolf

Associate Professor

Katie Farris
Brian E. Herrera
Nicolás Pereda
Kirstin Valdez Quade

Assistant Professor

Moon Molson
Rhaisa Williams

Professor of the Practice

Jane F. Cox
Rebecca J. Lazier
David W. Reinfurt

Senior Lecturer

Elena Araoz
Tina Fehlandt
Martha Friedman
Pamela E. Lins
Raja Feather Feather Kelly
Nicole Sealey

Visiting Lecturer

Mark Hollmann
Patricia A. Marx
Albert Samuels
Kamala Sankaram
Alan Zweibel

For a full list of faculty members and fellows please visit the department or program website.

My Creative Writing Journey

January 26, 2022.

I remember my first grade class’ Halloween party like it was yesterday: the mummy wrapping station on the rug, the spooky cupcakes on the desks and a Halloween storytime in the book corner. Though I briefly stopped by the dessert desks to grab a cupcake, I found myself all consumed in the fourth activity: Halloween story starters. Shifting through printed handout starters about witches and ghosts and goblins, I spent the entire party writing story after story. I somehow drowned out the “Monster Mash” track that played on repeat and the laughter of my classmates as they wrapped each other up in toilet paper. All I could hear was the sound of my pencil gliding across the thick-lined paper.

It’s no surprise then that when applying for colleges ten years later, I was drawn to Princeton’s Program in Creative Writing . With faculty such as A.M. Homes and Idra Novey , and graduates like Jodi Picoult (I am obsessed with her novels!), I knew I wanted to take courses in the department. And ever since I was admitted, that’s exactly what I did. I took everything from “ Introductory Fiction ” to “ Advanced Fiction ,” from “ Introductory Poetry ” to “ Advanced Poetry ,” and even Special Topics courses like “ Political Fiction .”

But my writing journey came to an abrupt stop at the end of last year. It was Spring 2021 and I applied for the Creative Writing thesis . At Princeton, everyone writes a thesis in their concentration (mine being English), but some certificates also require you to write a thesis. In the case of the English department, you can actually replace your English thesis with a Creative Writing thesis if you are accepted into the program. So anyone can apply for and take creative writing courses, but that does not necessarily guarantee that you can write a thesis in the department.

When I received the email that my application was not accepted, I was crushed. I felt as if all that I worked for and all that I hoped for since coming to Princeton, since sitting at that table at my first grade Halloween party writing about witches and pumpkins, had meant nothing. Was my writing not good enough? Was I not good enough? I decided to take a semester off from creative writing for the fall. I was hurt, and perhaps a little too prideful to keep taking courses in the department.

But as these thoughts slipped into my head, I remembered something that one of the creative writing faculty members said. She told our class that she herself was rejected from writing a creative writing thesis, and now she’s a bestselling author with several novels that she is proud of. During the fall semester, I missed creative writing so much. Yes, I might have been hurt, but being at one of the top schools in the country not only means that you’re surrounded by other brilliant, talented people, but that you have to learn how to be surrounded by other brilliant, talented people. It means accepting rejection, learning from setbacks and moving forward.

This semester, my final semester at Princeton, I am taking a course called “ Spark! Sparking Creativity in Writing ” with Professor Quade , who I had as a professor for “Advanced Fiction” during my sophomore year. The course focuses on daily writing practice as opposed to long-form, workshop writing. I hope to leave this course with the tools I need to continue writing in my day-to-day life, even as I start my career after graduation. Receiving rejection is always difficult, but it made me realize that creative writing is something I never want to let go of. Thesis or no thesis, I will continue the dream that little first grader had as she scribbled word after word onto her paper.

Career Compass Explore career paths and connect with alumni who can help you along the way

Creative Writing

Typically works of fiction, creative writing spans different genres and styles and can include short stories, novels, poetry, plays and scripts. Creative writing can be any type of written work that is not technical or analytical.

The skills you develop through practice and critique of your written work can prepare you for many career paths that require creativity and storytelling. In addition to writers, the literary and publishing industry needs people in business positions, such as agents, editors and marketers.

Writing for publications, volunteering and getting involved with student groups that focus on fiction are important ways to gain experience. Start to build a portfolio of your written work — including related coursework and any of your work that has been published — so you are prepared to demonstrate your skills and accomplishments.

Seeking out alumni who work in an area of interest to you is a great way to learn about their career journey and get advice. Conducting industry research to determine your target organizations and then reviewing postings on their websites is the best way to find opportunities for internships or full-time work.

Because this field spans multiple types of organizations and roles, there is not a single hiring process or timeline. Many organizations typically hire close to the start date for the position. Identifying organizations of interest and then checking their websites regularly or speaking to alumni who work there will offer insights into their specific recruiting cycles.

Undergraduate student groups

Arch and Arrow
Ellipses Slam Team
figments Magazine
The Playwright's Guild
Princeton Writes
Tiger Magazine

Related undergraduate certificates:

Applications of Computing

Related graduate certificates:

Media and Modernity
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Master of Arts in Writing (M.A.)
Ph.D. in Creative Writing, Literature or English

Professional organizations and associations are membership-based groups comprised of people working in a similar field. They can be helpful resources for students to learn more about a field, develop connections and discover related opportunities. You can search for related organizations and associations using a database provided by the Princeton University Library .

More Information

Princeton alumni.

Department of English

Creative Writing

Teaching and Research Interests

African-American Literature
Victorian Literature
Romanticism
Psychoanalysis
Postcolonialism
Poetry, Poetics, and Aesthetics
Medieval Literature
American Literature
Literature and Ethnicity
Literary Theory
Film and Media Studies
Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Eighteenth-Century Literature
Early Modern Literature
Drama and Performance Studies
Digital Humanities
Contemporary Literature and Culture
British Literature
Asian American Literature

How can I submit an optional Arts Supplement?

Read more about How can I submit an optional Arts Supplement?

On the Common or QuestBridge Application, please indicate your intention to submit an optional Arts Supplement in Princeton’s member questions. You will be able to access the link to submit an optional Arts Supplement in your Princeton Applicant Status Portal.

What file types and sizes do you accept?

Read more about What file types and sizes do you accept?

We support media files as large as 5GB, but please be advised that larger files will take longer to upload from your Internet connection and may stall if you are on a wireless connection or one that cannot sustain a connection for the necessary period of time. We support the following file formats:

Can I submit an Optional Arts Supplement or participate in an interview if I am applying to Princeton through the National College Match?

Read more about Can I submit an Optional Arts Supplement or participate in an interview if I am applying to Princeton through the National College Match?

If you are applying through the National College Match, we will be unable to review your arts supplement or conduct alumni interviews during the Match application review process given the early timeline. Students considered in our Regular Decision review process will have their arts supplements reviewed and may be offered an interview at that time.

How can I be sure my art supplement was received?

Read more about How can I be sure my art supplement was received?

Your completed Optional Arts Supplement will be reflected on your Princeton Applicant Status Portal within 24 hours.

Who should I contact if I have questions about my arts supplement?

Read more about Who should I contact if I have questions about my arts supplement?

If you have questions about your Optional Arts Supplement, you may contact us at [email protected] or phone 609-258-3060.

What if the supplemental material I would like to share does not exactly match the guidelines laid out by the department?

Read more about What if the supplemental material I would like to share does not exactly match the guidelines laid out by the department?

The Princeton University community is rich in many types of artistic talent, but our faculty can only provide evaluations of genres for which formal instruction is offered on campus. We encourage applicants to adhere as closely as possible to the submission guidelines.

What if my file size exceeds the maximum limit?

Read more about What if my file size exceeds the maximum limit?

File size limits vary by format (video, audio, PDFs). Please be sure to check your arts supplement type for file size guidelines. You may also include external media from YouTube, Vimeo and SoundCloud.

How can I submit an arts letter of recommendation with my Optional Arts Supplement?

Read more about How can I submit an arts letter of recommendation with my Optional Arts Supplement?

On the "Your Portfolio" tab, you can request an optional arts reference. A reference request email will automatically be sent to that individual. Please note: An arts reference is optional and will only be read by the arts faculty evaluating your supplement unless you submit it as an additional letter of recommendation along with your application to Princeton.

May I submit additional information, such as a CV?

Read more about May I submit additional information, such as a CV?

As one of your media uploads, we encourage you to include a resume if you think that will add to an understanding of your training and experiences. Please keep in mind, information you provide in the Optional Arts Supplement will only be read by the arts faculty evaluating your supplement unless you submit it as additional information along with your application to Princeton.

Why is there a fee to submit an Optional Arts Supplement?

Read more about Why is there a fee to submit an Optional Arts Supplement?

There is no fee to submit an Optional Arts Supplement.

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Princeton Optional Arts Supplement Review

I'm confused about whether I should submit an optional creative writing supplement to Princeton or not. I'm not sure whether my writing is remarkable enough for the arts faculty's standards. Are there any English/ Lit professors or graduates out there who would be willing to review some of my best works and help me select which pieces, if any at all, I should submit?

Thank you in advance!

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Arts Supplement

I’m submitting an arts supplement to Princeton for piano. Do you know if you can have a live audition on campus, or do you have to send in a recording?

Stanford allows live auditions along with recordings…but Princeton does not. Moreover, unless you are extremely talented in piano performance where you can at least “compete” for a slot at a lesser conservatory not necessarily of Juilliard or Curtis caliber should you submit a supplement…because you will be COMPARED with some of the best musicians in the country/world. FWIW most of the students who send music supplements to schools like Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton have won numerous national or international level competitions…so, be forewarned…

…if you are not of that caliber, it may be best not to send in a supplement…to keep it a mystery…if you know what I mean.

I’m submitting an arts supplement for dance and probably creative writing. Princeton does not offer live auditions.

Gravitas is basically saying that Princeton is expecting serious arts submissions. They don’t want oboe recordings from someone who started playing six months ago, nor do they want to read a story about a talking banana that you wrote in five minutes. You are going to be competing against people who have won awards at the national/international level so your submission better be GOOD. I’ve gathered that you are a talented piano player, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

Thank you for the information. Yes, I know what you mean about the caliber of the competition. I’m pretty sure I can put together a compelling arts supplement. I think that the arts supplement is the best way for me to demonstrate my ability level.

I have one more question if anyone can answer it. The directions for the arts supplement for piano say

Include a submission of works that best demonstrate your level of technical and musical accomplishment,preferably including one of each of the following: •The 48 preludes and fugues of J.S. Bach • The first movement of a sonata by Mozart, Beethoven, or Haydn • Any 19th- or 20th-century solo work, not concerti

Do you think it would annoy whoever is looking at my arts supplement if I submit more than one piece from each of the three categories?

When it comes to music supplements it is wise and strongly “advised” to stick with their recommendations and not deviate. The people listening to your supplement have precious little time to evaluate…so it would behoove you to send the best and the most impactful from each category desired…I know for a fact that certain elite conservatories/competitions can make a “call” up or down on an applicant by listening to the very first few measures…

…part of doing college applications well is to “follow” directions…

…you will also notice that other schools have slightly different requirements in what they want on their recording…so read the instructions very carefully.

My dance teacher always says that the best way not to land an audition is to not follow the directions! So I’m agreeing with gravitas here.

@KeDIX1414, If I am not mistaken, Princeton wants the music supplement to be between 10-15 minutes, which is barely enough for a P&F and a Classical Sonata first movement, let alone a significant Romantic piece that runs at least 7 minutes.

I truly think it’s quality over quantity, and that P&F probably is the most an evaluator will listen. So if you have recordings of multiple P&Fs, I would suggest that you pick the one that is most musical and most Bach…

So there is no confusion:

<a href=“ http://www.princeton.edu/admission/pdfs/PU-0809-arts-supplement.pdf[/url] ”> http://www.princeton.edu/admission/pdfs/PU-0809-arts-supplement.pdf</a></p&gt ;

It should be the same this coming year.

Seems as though that link acknowledges that a piano supplement is going to run longer than 10 - 15 minutes.

Not necessarily…classical piano supplement just does not have the strict 10-15 minute restriction as noted for the other instruments (it all depends on what combination of pieces you plan to submit that will determine the length)…please follow the guidelines.

I think between the three pieces, my whole supplement is going to be about 20 minutes. Hopefully that is not too long. Also, do the departments actually see/listen to the majority of these supplements? Does admissions choose which ones to send? It’s disheartening to put so much work into something that people may or may not even listen to.

Since you are submitting a classical piano supplement it will go to the piano department for evaluation. Admissions staff do not pick and choose which pieces to send…they send the entire CD for evaluation. This is why it is very important to have outstanding recordings for EACH piece because if you have any weaknesses reflected in any of your pieces…it may diminish your “talent” level to question why you even submitted a “supplement”…

…at all costs, you do not want them questioning your talent…it is better to be honest than exaggerate…honesty: it is one of the cornerstones of college admissions (no way around it).

Good luck.

I had contact with the admissions department several years ago to understand the arts supplement process. The admissions department sends all musical art supplements to the music faculty for evaluation. They do not listen to your recording to choose the recordings that merit further evaluation.

Gravitas and other have provided advice that you should consider. My only advice is to submit your recording early rather than late. Princeton is a small university and has a limited number of faculty that are qualified to properly evaluation musical talent.

I do not know the number of applicants that submit a musical arts supplement. Student musicians participate in the Princeton University Orchestra, Princeton University Sinfonia, Princeton University Wind Ensemble, Princeton University Chamber Ensemble, Princeton Classical Music Players, Undergraduate Composers Collective, Princeton Pianists Ensemble, Princeton Flute Ensemble, Solo Princetonians, Concert Jazz Ensemble, Cornel West Theory, Music in Mind, Princeton University Rock Ensemble, Princeton Brass Ensemble, Princeton University Marching Band, Chinese Music Ensemble, Princeton Tora Taiko, Vtone, Maracatu Princeton, and the Gospel Ensemble. The number of active student musical groups suggests that many applicants have musical talent.

I will make a few wild estimates to make my point. If Princeton receives 27,000 applications next year and 5% submit a musical recording there will be 1,350 recordings to be evaluated. There are only 20 people listed as faculty members of the Music Department. If you assume that five faculty members will not evaluate recordings because they are on sabbatical leave, are primarily a musical theorist, are a visiting professor at another university this fall, etc. that leaves only 15 faculty to evaluate 1,350 recordings. In this example each person must evaluate 90 recordings.

Consider the burden on the evaluators when over 1,000 recording arrive at nearly the same time. The optional arts supplement states . We encourage applicants to submit their portion of the application by December 15. I would think that a wise applicant would submit by December 1 or submit SCEA. Also the form states The music department welcomes visits and live hearings; call 609-258-6078 to arrange appointments. I would suggest in early September you call that number. They will not bite! They may provide more insight and help. Unless you are a total jerk it cannot hurt to demonstrate your interest in attending Princeton.

Good Luck.

Since the recommended time limit for a CD submission is from 10 to 15 minutes, you might want to send excerpts of your four (musical periods) recordings rather than the entire piece for each piece. Send the section of your piece that best reflects your skill level. Good luck!

^^are you trying to confuse the OP? Where are you getting the four musical periods from? Are you thinking of another school? Have you even read what I posted above from Princeton’s supplement site? Please know your facts before posting information that may potentially harm the applicant…

I stand corrected, gravitas2. Thank you. Princeton does request three musical periods (Bach Prelude & Fugue, Beethoven or Haydn Sonata, and a 20th c. solo work). The Art Supplement states that the Music Department does welcome visits and live hearings.

No problem slushy. Even though they say they welcome “live hearings” I have yet to know of any top musicians in past years request this at Princeton…it is not a formal thing like at Stanford where they have strict dates for live auditions during the early action and regular decision periods…

…most, if not all, send in CDs to Princeton as they do for Harvard and Yale. But, don’t forget, each school has slightly different requirements…similar to their essay requirements. You would think all these schools would make it easy and have a “standard” art supplement…but, no, that would be too easy…

I called the music department today and I received the contact information of the faculty head in my department. they said i can schedule a live audition with him if i want to, only i’m not sure if i want to. If it’s really not necessary I would rather not endure the added stress. I’m content with my recording. But if it’s something that will make me more competitive, I suppose I will have to.

Board approves six faculty appointments

The Princeton University Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of six faculty members, including four full professors and two assistant professors.

Dmitry Abanin , in physics, specializes in condensed matter theory and quantum physics. His appointment is effective Aug. 1, 2023.

Abanin will join Princeton from the University of Geneva, where he has taught since 2015. He previously taught at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Canada.

The author of more than 90 peer-reviewed papers, Abanin was the recipient of a European Research Consolidator Grant in 2020 and a Sloan Research Fellowship in 2014.

He received a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.A. and a B.A. from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.

David Graves , in chemical and biological engineering, specializes in plasma physics. His appointment was effective Jan. 16, 2023.

Graves came to Princeton in 2020 when he was appointed the associate lab director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). Prior to his arrival at PPPL, he was a professor of physics at the University of California-Berkeley, where he began teaching in 1986.

He is the author or co-author of more than 240 peer-reviewed publications, and a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Physical Society, the American Vacuum Society and the Society for Plasma Medicine. He has chaired or co-chaired numerous workshops for the National Research Council and the Department of Energy.

Graves earned a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and an M.S. and a B.S. from the University of Arizona.

Matthew Jones , in history, specializes in the history of science. His appointment is effective July 1, 2023.

Jones will join Princeton’s faculty from Columbia University, where he has taught since 2000, most recently as a professor of history and the James R. Barker Professor of Contemporary Civilization.

He is the author of the forthcoming book, “How Data Happened: A History from the Age of Reason to the Age of Algorithms” (Norton, 2023, with Chris Wiggins), as well as “Reckoning with Matter: Calculating Machines, Innovation, and Thinking about Thinking from Pascal to Babbage” (2016) and “ The Good Life in the Scientific Revolution: Descartes, Pascal, Leibniz and the Cultivation of Virtue” (2006), both from the University of Chicago Press.

Jones was a Guggenheim Fellow and a Mellon New Directions fellow. He received a Ph.D. and an A.B. from Harvard University and an M.Phil from Cambridge University.

Patricia Smith , in the Lewis Center for the Arts, specializes in poetry. Her appointment is effective Sept. 1, 2023.

Smith is currently a visiting professor in creative writing at Princeton and a distinguished professor at the City University of New York, where she has taught since 2009.

She is the author of eight books of poetry, including “Incendiary Art,” which won the 2018 Kingsley Tufts Award for Poetry, the 2017 LA Times Book Prize, the 2018 NAACP Image Award and was a finalist for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize; “Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah,” which won the Lenore Marshall Prize from the Academy of American Poets; and “Blood Dazzler,” a National Book Award finalist.

Smith was a Guggenheim Fellow and a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant and is the winner of the 2021 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, an award for lifetime achievement from the Poetry Foundation. Her work has appeared in numerous outlets, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Poetry, and The Paris Review. She holds an M.F.A. from the University of Southern Maine.

Assistant professor

Tatiana Engel , in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, is a specialist in theoretical and computational neuroscience. She joined the faculty in January from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and holds a Ph.D. from Humboldt University of Berlin and an M.S. from Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Allan Hsiao , in economics and public affairs, joined the faculty in January. A specialist in development economics, he holds a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an M.Phil from the University of Oxford, and an A.B. from Harvard College.

Patricia Smith and Ilya Kaminsky named Academy of American Poets Chancellors .

Ilya Kaminsky, professor of creative writing at Princeton, and Patricia Smith, visiting professor of creative writing, have been named Academy of American Poets Chancellors. Smith will join the Princeton faculty effective Sept. 1.

Board approves 24 faculty appointments .

The Princeton University Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of 24 faculty members, including five full professors, two associate professors and 17 assistant professors.

Board approves 15 faculty appointments .

The Princeton University Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of 15 faculty members, including three full professors and 12 assistant professors.

Board approves seven faculty appointments .

The Princeton University Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of seven faculty members, including four full professors and three assistant professors.

Board approves six faculty appointments .

Four full professors and two assistant professors have been newly appointed to the Princeton University faculty.

Board approves nine faculty appointments .

Four new full professors and five new associate or assistant professors are joining Princeton.

A man rides a bicyle past Whig Hall in autumn

Board approves new faculty appointments .

Two full professors and four assistant professors have been newly appointed to the Princeton University faculty.

Inside Princeton

Board approves six faculty appointments.