Dr Rita Singer is an experienced researcher and project officer with a particular interest in historical fiction, ideas of space and place in fictional and non-fictional writing in Wales, heritage tourism, maritime history and cultural geography.
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9803-3163
Since 2013, she has worked for the following projects:
- Diversifying the Dictionary of Welsh Biography (since 2023), National Library of Wales
- Ports, Past and Present (2019-2023), Aberystwyth University
- U-Boat Project 1914-18: Commemorating the War at Sea (2018-2019), Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
- Journey to the Past: Wales in Historic Travel Writing from France and Germany (2017-2018), Bangor University
- European Travellers to Wales 1750-2010 (2013-2016), Bangor University
Academic Interests
- Welsh writing in English
- History of Tourism
- Romantic and Victorian Studies
- Visual Culture
- (Digital) Heritage and Museums
- Film Studies
Biography Black History is Welsh History Bywgraffiadur Caergybi Documentary Film work Fishguard folk belief Folklore France Germany Gothic Heritage Historical fiction History Holyhead Ireland Irish Sea Jemima Nicholas Newspapers Nineteenth Century Pembroke Dock Photography Ports, Past and Present Rosslare Harbour Tourism Travel writing Visual Culture Wales Welsh writing in English
Exhibitions
- U-Boat Project 1914-18. Travelling Exhibition. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. 22 venues across Wales. 2017-18.
- EuroVisions. Travelling Exhibition. European Travellers to Wales, 1750-2010. Bangor University, CAWCS, Swansea University. 3 venues across Wales. 2015-16.
Conferences
- Commemorating the Welsh Experience of The Great War at Sea. Conference. MOROL / U-Boat Project 1914–18. Pater Hall, Pembroke Dock. 3-4 November 2018.
- ‘Minority’ Cultures and Travel. Conference. Bangor University, CAWCS, Swansea University. National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. 14-16 September 2015.
- Reassessing Anglicisation in Wales 1536-1868. Symposium. Aberystwyth University. National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. 18 April 2015.
- The Common Denominator. Conference. Universität Leipzig. Bibliotheca Albertina, Leipzig. 21-22 March 2014.
Press and Media
- Bwrw Golwg. Radio Cymru. Radio. 17 Dec 2023. Interview in Welsh with Gwenfair Griffith about the Diversity Project of the Dictionary of Welsh Biography and the symposium about Welsh Muslim Lives organised by Dr Abdul-Azim Ahmet at Cardiff University.
- Aled Hughes. Radio Cymru. Radio. 6 Nov 2023. Interview in Welsh with Aled Hughes for morning radio programme about the Diversity Project of the Dictionary of Welsh Biography and the upcoming community workshop at Butetown Community Centre, Cardiff.
- Britain by Beach. Series 2, Episode 4: Wales. Channel 4. Television. 10 Sep 2022. Interview with Anita Rani about the French Invasion of Fishguard.
- Aled Hughes. Radio Cymru. Radio. 28 Oct 2019. Interview in Welsh with Aled Hughes for morning radio programme about German submarine warfare in the Irish Sea.
- Bryn Jones, ‘Dirgelwch y ci o Gymru a’r llong danfor Almaenig.’ BBC Cymru Fyw: Cylchgrawn. Web. 19 Oct 2019. Interview in Welsh for online magazine about German submarine warfare in the Irish Sea during WW1.
- Newyddion 9. S4C. Television. 17 June 2019. Interview in Welsh for evening news programme; segment covering the week-long dive school at the wreck of the LEYSIAN at Abercastle, Pembrokeshire.
- Heno. S4C. Television. 4 Aug 2015. Interview in Welsh for popular evening programme; segment covering the opening of the EuroVisions exhibition at Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth.
- Neil Prior, ‘What Euro visitors have thought of Wales in past 260 years.’ BBC News. Web. 19 July 2015. Interview for online article.
Education
2023
- BSL Level 2 Certificate (Signature), Dysgu Bro Ceredigion, Aberystwyth
2021
- BSL Level 1 Certificate (IBSL), Dysgu Bro Ceredigion, Aberystwyth
2014
- Summer School ‘Culture & Technology’ – The European Summer School in Digital Humanities, 2014, Universität Leipzig
2013
- Module for Teaching in Higher Education ‘Aktivierende Methoden in der Lehre’, Universität Leipzig
- PhD (summa cum laude), Institut für Anglistik, Universität Leipzig, Thesis: ‘Re-inventing the Gwerin: Anglo-Welsh Identities in Fiction and Non-Fiction, 1847-1914’
Supervisors: Prof Dr Joachim Schwend (Universität Leipzig) and Prof Tony Brown (Bangor University, Wales)
Funded by: Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
2008
- Magistra Artium (GPA: 1.2), Universität Leipzig Master thesis: ‘Harry Potter and the Psychomachia’ (GPA: 1.0)
1st Major: British studies at Institut für Anglistik
2nd Major: German as a Foreign Language at the Herder-Institut
2006
- ERASMUS semester at University of Wales, Bangor
School of English; School of Modern Languages
Languages
German, English, Welsh, BSL (Level 2)
