IRDL is made up of a vibrant community of faculty members, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, alumni, and industry specialists committed to building community through the study and discussion of digital literacies.
Director
Natalie Coulter
Associate Professor in Communication Studies and graduate programme, Communication and Culture,
York University
Coordinator
Colleen Thumlert
MI Library & Information Science, MS Environmental Education
Stream Leads
The Stream Leads represent four different aspects of IRDL research and help to build community by leading various events for members throughout the year.
Alison Harvey
Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Communications program Glendon College, York University
Digital Practices Stream Lead
Muyang LI
Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology,
York University
AI, Surveillance, and Privacy Stream Lead
Abigail Shabtay
Assistant Professor, Children, Childhood, and Youth program in the Department of Humanities. Theatre and Performance Studies, Communication and Culture, Humanities, and Education,
York University
Creativity and Community Stream Lead
Brandee Easter
Assistant Professor, Writing, Faculty Affiliate, Humanities,
York University
Digital Infrastructures Stream Lead
Fresange Maleka
Gender, Feminist and Women’s Studies,
York University
Graduate Student Representative
Executive Committee
The IRDL Executive Committee is here to provide overarching guidance for the director, coordinator, and stream leads.
Ganaele Langlois
Associate Professor Department of Communication & Media Studies,
York University
Nombuso Dlamini
York University
Kurt Thumlert
Associate Professor, Faculty of Education,
York University
Active Members
Sue Winton
Professor, York Research Chair in Policy Analysis for Democracy, York University
Michael Longford
Digital Media Program in School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD), York University
David Gelb
Assistant Professor, Department of Design School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD), York University
Melanie Baljko
Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Co-ordinator, Digital Media Program, Faculty of Science and Engineering, York University
Jennifer Jenson
Director Emeritus of IRDL.
Professor, Digital Languages, Literacies, and Cultures, University of British Columbia
Nicholas Taylor
Associate Professor, York University, Markham
Stephanie Fisher
Research Officer,
University of Toronto
Negin Dahya
University of Toronto
Kelly Bergstrom
Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Media Studies, York University, Markham
Kisha McPherson
Toronto Metropolitan University
Sam McCready
York University
Carolyn Steele
York University
Estee Fresco
Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and Media Studies, York University
Rob Heynen
Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Media Studies, York University
Iris Epstein
York University
Kim Wilson
Co-Director, Children’s Media Lab, RTA School of Media, Toronto Metropolitan University
Natalia Balyasnikova
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, York University
Deanne Williams
Professor, Department of English, York University
Stephanie Jonson
Graduate Research Associates