Ava L.J. Kim is a PhD student in English at the University of Pennsylvania. They earned a BA in English and Creative Writing at Macalester College where they also worked as a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow and Frank Karel Fellow. Ava's current research interests include 20th and 21st century culture with a particular focus on trans aesthetics and anti-imperialism in literature, music, and film. 

Ava currently serves as a co-coordinator for the Gender and Sexuality Studies Reading Group, co-founder and co-coordinator of the Trans Literacy Project, and co-coordinator of the Queer Urgencies Conference (April 5-6, 2019). They previously served as a SASgov (School of Arts and Sciences Government) Representative in the 2017-2018 academic year.