Alison has a wide range of research and teaching interests. She has published articles on topics ranging from the graphic novel and 20th-century Irish fiction, to the role of the Caribbean pineapple fruit in 17th-century anti-monarchical and anti-slavery propaganda. She has taught courses organized around concepts such as the gothic novel, utopia, and dystopia, coming of age, and various courses focused on academic writing and writing for real-world rhetorical situations. Alison has a strong background in both academic and non-academic editing. She served as the Managing Editor and Book Review editor at the interdisciplinary Journal of Religion and the Arts and has taken on editorial work for Transition magazine as well as novels, scientific articles, website design projects, and more. Beyond the classroom, she enjoys social and competitive West Coast Swing dance.