Laura Bissell

Dr. Laura Bissell is an Athenaeum Research Fellow and Lecturer in Contemporary Performance Practice at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS). Her interdisciplinary work bridges performance studies, feminism, ecology, and technology, with a focus on matrescence and mobility. She holds a PhD from the University of Glasgow and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Her education includes a first-class MA (Hons) in English Literature and Theatre Studies, an MPhil in Performance Studies, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Arts Education. She previously taught at the University of Glasgow, Glasgow School of Art, and Transart Institute Berlin.

Research interests include contemporary performance practices, technology’s role in art, eco-theatre, and feminist praxis. Her collaborative Making Routes project explores creative mobilities. She co-edits the International Journal of Performance Art and Digital Media’s Matrescence and Media special edition, and is authoring a monograph on matrescence and performance.

Recent work includes COP26-related climate performance studies and a 2023 life-writing article. Awards include the Athenaeum Research Fellowship and HEA Senior Fellowship. She advises doctoral research across video game performance, eco-queer theory, and neuroqueering dance practices.

Professional roles include RCS Sustainability Committee Co-Chair and External Examiner for University of Salford and Rose Bruford College. Qualifications include Yoga teaching and Mental Health First Aid certifications.