Tyler Bickford

Tyler Bickford is an Assistant Professor of Children’s Literature and Childhood Studies in the Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on children’s music, digital technology, and peer culture in schools, with an emphasis on ethnographic studies of media ecology in educational settings. He holds a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology and has published widely on topics such as children’s media practices and the tween music industry. His books include *Tween Pop: Children’s Music and Public Culture* (Duke UP, 2020) and *Schooling New Media: Music, Language, and Technology in Children’s Culture* (Oxford UP, 2017). He has been an active advocate for faculty rights, serving as unit president of the Union of Pitt Faculty–United Steelworkers Local 1088-04. His work critiques university endowment policies and advocates for equitable faculty salaries and working conditions.

Research interests span the intersection of childhood studies, media studies, and education, with a focus on how digital technologies shape children’s cultural experiences. He has conducted ethnographic studies in rural school environments to explore how children engage with media and technology. His recent activism highlights concerns about institutional financial decisions, including the underutilization of endowments to support faculty during crises.