Emma Phillips

Emma Phillips is an Assistant Professor in Visual Communication at the University of Canberra’s Faculty of Arts and Design. Her research focuses on visual culture’s intersections with gender, class, and power, particularly in women’s representation in sport, photography ethics, and feminist discourse. She holds a PhD from the University of Technology Sydney (2022) and a Bachelor of Fine Art from RMIT University (2016). Her work combines industry expertise with academic research to develop practice-based methodologies.

Education:

• PhD, The Aesthetics of Sexualisation, University of Technology Sydney (2022)
• Bachelor of Fine Art, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (2016)

Research Interests: Emma investigates the politics of representation in women’s sport, class dynamics in visual culture, beauty and objectification debates, and feminist visual practices. She collaborates with marginalized communities to elevate underrepresented voices, as seen in projects like River People and Spectres of Architecture in Canberra.

Grants & Projects: Co-Investigator in the ARRTS: DA 24-28 Defence ARRTS 24-28 project (2024–2028), focusing on creativity and resilience in artistic practices. Accepting PhD students exploring sexuality, feminism, photography, and sport culture.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Faculty’s visual communication research group, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects blending art, technology, and social justice.