Professor Byrd’s research focuses on indigenous studies, indigenous feminist and queer studies, and video game studies.

Their 2011 book The Transit of Empire: Indigenous Critiques of Colonialism (University of Minnesota Press) won the 2011 Best First Book of the Year award from the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association, and the 2012 Wordcraft Circle Award for Academic Work of the Year. Byrd also co-edits the Northwestern University Press’ Critical Insurgencies series.

Prior to joining the University of Chicago, they were a Professor of Literatures in English at Cornell University. Byrd earned their PhD in English Literature from the University of Iowa in 2002.