Sharon Lockyer

Dr. Sharon Lockyer is an Honorary Research Professor at Brunel University's College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences, where she leads the Centre for Comedy Studies Research (CCSR). Her work focuses on critical comedy studies, equality/diversity in cultural industries, and mixed-methods research. She has held roles such as Associate Dean for Equality and Diversity and has taught at Loughborough and De Montfort Universities, as well as serving as a Visiting Professor at Dunarea de Jos University. Her research explores humor's intersections with gender, disability, and media representation.

• Education: PhD in Communication and Media Studies (Loughborough), BSc 1st Class (Loughborough)
• Qualifications: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), PGCert in Learning and Teaching (Brunel)

Lockyer’s research interests include the ethics of comedy, stand-up performance dynamics, and the societal impact of humor. Recent work addresses intersectionality in contemporary comedy, disability representation, and the mainstreaming of controversial topics like rape jokes in media.

Her 15 most cited articles span critical analyses of comedy’s role in social critique, comedy ethics, and transnational media engagement. While no specific awards are listed, her contributions to founding the CCSR and leading interdisciplinary research initiatives highlight her scholarly influence.

Supervision: Active in PhD mentoring, though specific advisee names are not provided. Grants: Has worked on externally funded projects involving industry and public engagement.

Labs/Initiatives: Director of the CCSR, a pioneering international research hub for comedy studies.