Aisha Matthews is a Ph.D. student in English Literature at Southern Methodist University, having finished her Master’s Degree at Southern New Hampshire University in early 2017. As an undergraduate at Yale (’13), she studied Young Adult Science Fiction Literature (alongside more classical sub-genres), and wrote her thesis on Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies quartet and the function of adolescent mechanisms such as slang, body modification, and self-harm throughout the series and the genre. At the Master’s level, she explored African-American Literature, Science and Speculative Fictions, Postmodern and Feminist Theory, and Contemporary American Literature. Her Master’s Thesis focused on Octavia Butler’s Patternmaster quintet, examining the series’ power structures through the Foucauldian framework of panopticism and exploring the dynamics of social constructionism as they apply to the narrative. At present, her research interests are focused on Afrofuturism, Science Fiction Criticism, and YA SF Literature. In addition to her academic pursuits, Aisha currently serves as the Managing Editor for the Journal of Science Fiction, and has worked closely with the Museum of Science Fiction team as the Literary Track Programming Coordinator for Escape Velocity 2017. Her professional experience includes corporate event planning, public relations, and C-level administrative support. When she is not researching, planning, or working, Aisha enjoys electronic dance music, travel, and binge-watching sci-fi television. She considers herself an avid Harry Potter enthusiast, enjoys shows such as Battlestar Galactica, and Stargate, and has spent the last three years exploring various animes from Hunter X Hunter and Full Metal Alchemist to Blue Exorcist and Attack on Titan.