In the academic world of scholarship and creative activity, Dr. Katherine V. Wills (aka Katerina Tsiopos) is both a scholar and poet. Professor of English and founding Director of the English program at IUPUC, she had two of her poems published as part of the INverse Poetry Archive. Her poems depict Indiana sporting life and a more complex Hoosier identity with nature: “Quarry Scuba: Indiana Dive Partner” and “Blessing of the Bikes: Bean Blossom Boogie”. Dr. Wills, publishing under the nom de plume Katerina Tsiopos, has an array of poetry publications including her chapbook Our Slow Migration North (2013).
The INverse Poetry Archive, which was created in 2019 by Indiana Poet Laureate Adrian Matejka in conjunction with the Indiana Humanities and the Indiana Arts Commission, celebrates and preserves the diverse range of Indiana poetry for future generations of Indiana writers and readers. INverse selected two of her poems which represent the landscape and people of Indiana.
Dr. George Towers, Head of the Division of Liberal Arts at IUPUC said, of Katerina, “Her ability to inspire her students has been recognized with several teaching awards. She also shares her passion with our community through poetry readings and writing workshops.” Katerina knows the power of poetry and spoken word to inspire people around the world just as youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman did by reading her inaugural poem. Katerina is completing a poetry chapbook on the delicate balance, stunning beauty, and brutal interaction between humans and nature titled Complicit in Green.
Katerina has been published in literary magazines such as ART/LIFE and River Styx. Her poetry has been translated into Greek and Romanian. She has read her work in hundreds of local, national, and international venues, most recently before covid at the storied Le Chat Noir Cabaret in Montmartre, Paris, France, and virtually after covid at The Slam in Spokane.
Katherine V. Wills (aka Katerina Tsiopos) is a Professor and Director of the English program in the Division of Liberal Arts at IUPUC