Academic

As an immersive media and film researcher-practitioner, I am currently a Research Fellow at the BFI with associate status in XR Stories (University of York). For two years (2021 and 2022), I was also an Associate Lecturer on the MA Virtual and Extended Realities programme at UWE Bristol.

My PhD on the use of AR headsets for interactive documentary storytelling was practice-based at UWE Bristol, funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council through the 3D3 Centre for Doctoral Training.

Since 2016, I have spoken at numerous academic conferences and symposia and given public-facing facing talks on my research internationally. I have also taught as a guest lecturer for courses at Kings College London, the University of Bristol and the University of Manchester.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8553-1713

I was a 2021 New Scholars fellow on the Bristol+Bath Creative R+D Creative Ecologies pathfinder, funded by Creative Industries Clusters Programme

PhD thesis

Through the Wardrobe: Exploring the potential of headset augmented reality to provide a Thirdspace immersive media experience (2022, UWE Bristol)
My PhD research in the field of immersive and interactive documentary studies investigated the use of AR headsets for location-based experiences. Intertwining theory and methods from gender studies, visual anthropology, phenomenology and geography, my thesis argued that AR headsets can facilitate a hybrid experience of virtual/physical space. When incorporating the voices of the marginalised from the periphery of society, this constitutes a ‘Thirdspace’, a term I adapted from geographer Edward Soja to describe the concurrent blend of physical and virtual space with the potential for challenging cultural hegemonies.
Supervised by Professor Mandy Rose and Dr Gillian Swanson

Peer-reviewed
journal articles

‘Multisensory Ethnography Through Emplaced Augmented Reality’ Anthrovision [Online], Vol. 8.2 | 2020, Online since 31 August 2022. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/anthrovision/6563

‘Questioning “what makes us human”: how audiences react to an AI-driven show’ (2021) Lead author. Co-authors Rik Lander and Phil D Hall. Cognitive Computation and Systems. 3(2), 91–99 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1049/ccs2.12018

Academic activities

Selected for the New Scholars fellowship scheme, Bristol+Bath Creative R+D Creative Ecologies pathfinder, funded by Creative Industries Clusters Programme

Selected to be part of the inaugural cohort of the 2018 TV PhD scheme at the Edinburgh TV Festival, supported by the Arts & Humanities Research Council

Being Human Festival of the Humanities (2018) – ‘End of Gender?’ – ran public engagement event to share my research with new audiences

Other published work and talks

A Creative Future (2022) co-authored as part of XR Stories and SIGN. Evidence submitted to the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee

Part of ‘Meet the Researchers’, SXSW 2021, UK House

Delivered Pervasive Media Studio Friday Lunchtime Talk, ‘Making through Failing’ (5 Feb 2021)

‘Moving Layers’ R&D with National Dance Company Wales
(Blogpost 2020)