BA (Hons) Film and American Studies, University of East Anglia, 1998

MA (Dist) Media Studies, Institute of Education, University of London, 2001

MRes (Dist) in Educational and Social Research, Institute of Education, University of London, 2003

PhD Education, Institute of Education, University of London, 2007.

Lecturer, Department of Media and Communications.

Telephone:0116 2522797

Email: new9@le.ac.uk 

Career Experience

Until recently I was based at the Institute of Education, University of London where I worked in the Doctoral School. I joined the Media and Communications Department at the University of Leicester in 2008.

I am the Undergraduate Admissions Officer and Research Ethics Officer for the Department of Media and Communication.

Research Interests

The main focus of my research to date has been the study of media fandoms and videogame cultures on the Internet, the practices of contemporary television audiences and the nature of new media texts and environments (including videogames, online worlds and online communities). My PhD (which was funded by the ESRC) explored the workings of two online fan sites over a two year period. Using text analysis of posting activity, this work presented a sociological analysis of the patterning of consumption and identification with fan objects demonstrated on the public forums of these sites, and how these are related to the ways that participants learn to be successful community members/successful fans.

More recently, my research focus has shifted to looking at the ethics of media audiences. I am currently working on a research project that examines the ethics of adult users of the Internet. This project, "The ethics of contemporary media consumption: An exploratory study of consumers' ethical decision-making in respect of the use of the Internet to access and exchange media content," is funded by a British Academy Small Grant award (2009). It is due for completion in October 2010.

Alongside my research on fans, audiences and texts, I am also very interested in qualitative research methods (in both online and offline environments) and the ethics of online research.

Publications

Publications list attached. 

Teaching and Supervision

I am the module leader for MS3009, The Media, Celebrity and Fan Culture, MS7001, Knowledge and method in Social Sciences and MS7010, Film as Mass Communication.

I would be pleased to hear from prospective research students who wish to undertake work in areas related to my research interests. 

Professional Activities

I am a member of the British Sociological Association, the Association of Internet Researchers and the London Games Research Group.