Dr Judith Sandner

Dr Judith Sandner has been teaching and researching at the University of Newcastle for 19 years. Prior to her academic career Judith worked for a short time in Public Affairs for the Hunter Area Health Service where she initiated sponsorship networks, conducted interviews and surveys, and wrote for in-house publications. Judith also worked as an editor on Understanding Journalism (Sheridan-Burns 2002) – a tertiary education text (2nd edition published in 2013 https://au.sagepub.com/en-gb/oce/understanding-journalism/book236949#reviews), and on Lights! Camera! Action! (Bell 2006) – a personal guide for working in the Entertainment Industry by Newcastle author, musical artist and international model, Francine Bell http://francinebell.com/

Throughout her academic career Judith has Lectured, Guest–Lectured and Tutored in diverse fields of communication, media, and design including both practice-based and critical theoretical courses of study: Professional Writing; Web Design; Digital Animation, 3D & Graphic Design Technologies; Design Theory; Audience Studies; Communication Theory, and Discourse Theory. Apart from her undergraduate teaching she has researched, designed and delivered postgraduate courses for the Master of Digital Media Degree Program including: Multimedia Applications for Public Relations & Corporate Communication, and eCulture & Audiences.

In 2013 Judith was awarded the Faculty of Science & IT's Staff of the Year Award for her coordination and work efforts in the CMNS3500 Communication Professional Placement Course. She coordinated CMNS3500 from 2012-2015 and has many communication and creative industry and alumni connections. Feel free to ask her about CMNS3500 course matters and other WIL Work Integrated Learning opportunities.

Throughout 2010-2014 Judith was the Bachelor of Communication Honours Program Convenor and delivered research methodology training to all Design, Natural History Illustration, Information Technology and Communication Honours & Research Higher Degree students in the School of DCIT.

She has successfully supervised Honours and PhD students who have conducted original research on wide-ranging topics such as: Corporate Identity Construction; Community Radio Production; Comedy Scriptwriting; Social Media Activities; Asylum Seeker Discourses & Media Representation; Mobile Phone Use & Identity Formation; Creativity & Documentary Filmmaking; Australian Childrens’ Literature; Sports Management & Intercultural Communication; Journalism Practice & Representations of Religious Spectacle.

Dr Sandner's PhD (Communication & Media) was awarded in 2010. Titled Communicating Community: Cultural Production, Habitus & the Construction of a City’s Identity, this original research was in the area of localized film and literary productions and was nominated for a Research Excellence Award by International Examiner Professor Elliott Gaines https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-gaines-ph-d-04a19714.

Judith's theoretical research and supervision work has been presented at local, national and international conferences and published in conference proceedings and academic journals.

Research Expertise
PhD Thesis Title: Communicating Community: Cultural Production, Habitus & the Construction of a City's Identity. As a research higher degree contributing original knowledge to the field of communication studies, this postgraduate research project informs teaching and further undergraduate/postgraduate research in the areas of: Meaning-making & Interpretation; Audiences & Production Intent; Media Texts & Representation; Authentic Narrative Expression & Vernacular Community Collaborations; Habitus & Cultural Productions. As a comprehensive analysis of theatrical and film texts 'inspired' by factual events it offers media industry professionals valuable insight into theoretical approaches to creative practices. These may include filmmakers, authors screenwriters, poets, novelists and digital media practitioners. The thesis incorporates research knowledge particularly relevant to production design, vernacular stories, and audience engagement with localized histories.

Teaching Expertise

'Teaching is essentially a rhetorical activity, seeking to persuade students to change the way they experience the world through an understanding of the insights of others. It has to create the environment that enables students to embrace the twin poles of experiential and formal knowledge'

(Laurillard 2013)

My teaching philosophy bears the traces of my encounters as a mature-aged undergraduate student which have given me insight and empathetic regard for students new to the tertiary scene.

Administrative Expertise

Professional Memberships

2013 – CAMR Communication and Media Research Group (UoN)

2010 – ANZCA Australian and New Zealand Communication Association

2016 – ECREA European Communication Research and Education Association