معرفی
Avi Santo is a Full Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focuses on media industries, particularly cross-media expansion, licensed consumer products, and their impact on children’s and adult fan communities. He holds a BFA from Concordia University (1999), an MA from the University of Texas at Austin (2002), and a PhD from the same institution (2006).
Dr. Santo’s scholarly work explores intersections of consumer culture, brand licensing, and fandom. Major projects include analyzing transmedia branding practices, retail as a storytelling medium, and the role of management in creative industries. He co-created FlowTV and MediaCommons, digital platforms fostering scholarly dialogue. Current research examines STEM media targeting marginalized youth and the cultural economics of fan lifestyles through a co-edited collection Acquiring Fandom (2023).
His awards include the Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award (2020), multiple Shining Star Awards for mentoring, and the John R. Broderick Diversity Champion Award. Notable grants include funding for projects like Resilient Robots (2018) and Mapping Lambert’s Point (2017). Dr. Santo actively engages in community service, advocating for diversity and inclusion in academia and beyond.
