Aleesha Rodriguez

Dr. Aleesha Rodriguez is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child and the Digital Media Research Centre (DMRC) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Their research focuses on digital media communication, Science and Technology Studies (STS), and public imaginaries of future technologies. Aleesha explores how digital platforms like TikTok and Reddit shape interactions between people and technology, emphasizing ethical considerations and societal impacts.

Education: PhD from QUT’s DMRC, specializing in digital media and public communication. Their research agenda examines digital media’s role in public discourse and its implications for children’s digital literacy.

Research Interests: Aleesha’s work bridges digital media analysis with ethical frameworks, addressing technopanics, platform governance, and children’s digital rights. They advocate for positive digital spaces through collaborative research and policy submissions to Australian parliamentary committees.

Grants & Collaborations: Active in interdisciplinary research teams, contributing to submissions on social media governance and digital childhood ethics. Their work informs policy discussions and industry practices.

Labs/Teams: Core member of the DMRC and the ADM+S GenAI Lab, collaborating on projects like the Digital Child Ethics Toolkit and the Children’s Internet Manifesto.