Media, Communication and Culture experts

Murdoch experts specialise in media and multimedia theory and production (film, television, radio and online media, as well as broadcast and print journalism), mass communication, public relations, communication and cultural studies, Australian Indigenous Studies and Women's Studies.

Murdoch’s research and production hubs include the Centre For Everyday Life, Interactive Television Research Institute and the Media Arts Centre.

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	Chris Smyth Journalism ethics and freedom of speech Chris Smyth is the acting Head of the School of Media, Communication and Culture at Murdoch University. His areas of expertise include media law, journalism ethics, journalists' right and freedom of speech, His areas of research include journalism ethics, freedom of expression, rights of journalists and labour history.

	Dr Martin Mhando Filmmaking and African cinema Dr Martin Mhando is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Media, Communication and Culture. He is a filmmaker with award winning feature and documentary films to his credit. Dr Mhando teaches both production and theory units at Murdoch in the Media Studies and Screen and Sound Programs. Martin’s areas of research include documentary theory, film production praxis, African cinema, world cinema and Indigenous knowledge. He often serves on festival juries and has also served as curator of international festivals.

	Carmelo Amalfi Science and technology journalism Carmelo Amalfi is a science and technology journalist and writer specialising in maritime and military history. Currently lecturing in journalism at Murdoch University, Mr Amalfi worked at The West Australian newspaper for nearly 20 years and was a founding member of the Australian Science Communicators. Mr Amalfi is a prolific freelance writer, contracting to Western Australian government, universities and media groups such as The Australian, The Sunday Times, Cosmos Magazine in Sydney, and AAP, and media adviser to a number of State and industry groups. He is currently examining the challenges facing journalists when researching and reporting on shipwrecks and their human cultural remains.

	Dr Kirsty Best Social and individual consequences of new media technologies Dr Kirsty Best specialises in investigating all aspects of new media including online dating, mobile technologies, Web 2.0, privacy and surveillance issues, digital rights management and creative commons, the culture and ethics of hacking, user control over technology, open source software, wikis and blogs. She is currently examining isolation, illness and the Internet, with a particular focus on knowledge and connection, and the difficulties in using computers for those with cognitive and physically challenging illnesses. Dr Best is also investigating the individual’s sense of control, or lack of control, over digital devices such as mobile phones, PDAs and laptops.

	Professor Duane Varan The future of television. Professor Duane Varan is the Director of the Interactive Television Research Institute which has developed a reputation as one of the world’s leading research centre’s exploring the future of television. The Institute’s sponsors include the world’s leading television networks, advertising brands and technology enablers including Coca-Cola, Procter and Gamble, General Motors, CBS, NBC, the Discovery Channel, MTV and many others Fortune 500 companies. Professor Varan is also the recipient of numerous awards including the Prime Minister’s Award for University Teacher of the Year.

	Dr Mick Broderick Cultural representations of the Nuclear age, the cold war and the apocalyptic Associate Professor Broderick is an internationally recognised expert on media and cultural representations of the nuclear age, the Cold War and the apocalyptic with additional interests in Japanese anime, Australian national cinema, trauma theory, masculinity, television and film genre. His collection of Cold War cultural artefacts are currently on exhibition at the Western Australian Museum and across Japan. Professor Broderick teaches screen theory and cultural and media policy at Murdoch University and actively promotes the creative industries within Australia.

	Dr Sharon Delmege Social and political impact of new media, politics and the public Dr Delmege examines links between cultural politics and journalism, and the social and political impact of new media. She has recently researched Aboriginal housing in Perth, online dating in Australia and curriculum development of innovative methods for online teaching, learning and assessment. Dr Delmege teaches media audience studies, politics and the public, creativity, innovation and Indigenous culture and knowledge.

	Associate Professor Gail Phillips Journalism, broadcast policy and journalism ethics Associate Professor Gail Phillips teaches broadcast journalism in the School of Media, Communications and Culture at Murdoch University. She spent fourteen years working in commercial and public sector radio at local and national levels. At Murdoch University she has held the positions of Head of the School of Media, Communication and Culture, Chair of the Media Studies program, Director of Research for the Division of Arts and has also served on the Murdoch Senate. Dr Phillips’ research interests cover journalism, broadcast policy, and journalism ethics. She is co-author of Australian Broadcast Journalism, published by Oxford University Press (2002, 2006) and Journalism Ethics at Work (Pearson Longman, 2005). She is a member of the editorial board of the international Radio Journal and book review editor for the Australian Journalism Review.

	Dr Terence Lee Digital television, radio and the internet across Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region A former media policy executive at the Singapore Broadcasting Authority, Dr Terence Lee is an expert on most aspects of media, culture, politics and the creative industries across Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region. He is a well-known commentator on digital television, radio and the Internet, and author of The Media, Cultural Control and Government in Singapore (Routledge, 2009), co-editor of Political Regimes and the Media in Asia (with Krishna Sen, Routledge, 2008) and has written several articles for Singapore and Asian media.

	Kate Fitch Public relations in South-East Asia, public relations education and theory. Kate is a Senior Lecturer in Public Relations. Her professional background includes public relations roles in the arts, community and government sectors in Australia, and in book publishing in the UK. Kate teaches units in campaign management, media relations, issues management and introductory public relations. Her research interests include public relations in southeast Asia, public relations education and public relations theory.

	Dr Johan Lidberg Journalistic practice and the freedom of information Dr Johan Lidberg has laid the foundation for the first International Freedom of Information Index through his research, which ranks a number of FOI regimes according to how well they work in practice. He is currently researching the convergence of different media formats as hosted by on-line news sites and the relationship between ‘old’ and ‘new’ media. Dr Lidberg has a background in print and broadcast journalism, most recently for the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation as a senior political reporter in the lead-up to the national general elections. He is Murdoch University’s representative in the Global Environmental Journalism Initiative and Chair of Journalism.

	Josh Whitkin Gaming technology and computer graphic content production. Josh Whitkin Lecturer in the School of Media, Communication and Culture at Murdoch University. His areas of expertise include mobile device design and computer graphic content production. Mr Whitkin has designed developed innovative applications for a wide array of mobile devices, including portable children's toys and mobile productivity devices. He has a broad range of experience in most areas of computer graphics: mechanical engineering, architecture, video, web and print. Mr Whitkin has extensive industry experience built from technical expertise in real-time 3D content for games, including content production team design and management. He has credits in more than 20 published games, and has contributed to over fifty software products. He is the author of a book on 3D art for games.

	Dr Ingrid Richardson New media theory, philosophy of technology and science and phenomenology Dr Ingrid Richardson specialises in the philosophy of technology and science, phenomenology, interaction design and new media theory, and is currently investigating mobile media, the mobile web, online social networking and urban interfaces. A Senior Lecturer in the School of Media, Communication and Culture at Murdoch University, her teaching areas include new media, mobile media, game design, video game studies, and gender and cultural studies.