Maria Tomlinson

Dr. Maria Tomlinson is a Lecturer in Public Communication and Gender within the School of Information, Journalism and Communication at the University of Sheffield. Her research examines how journalists, activists, and civil society organizations communicate about gender and feminism through news and social media.

• BA and MA from King's College London
• PhD from the University of Reading

Research Interests:
Maria investigates the menstrual movement's impact on societal perceptions of stigma, misinformation, and structural inequalities. Her work spans diverse contexts including Japan, the UK, France, Algeria, and Mauritius, focusing on topics like:
- Menstrual stigma and period poverty
- Transgender menstrual experiences
- Environmental activism in menstruation
- Endometriosis and PMDD research
- Digital communication strategies for NGOs

Publications:
Maria has authored two monographs and contributed to journals like Feminist Media Studies and Social Semiotics. Her research combines textual analysis with empirical studies involving focus groups and interviews.

Advisory Roles:
- Advisory board member for FEMaLe (Finding Endometriosis using Machine Learning)
- Editorial board member for Modern and Contemporary France
- Chair of British Standards Institute committee on menstrual/menopause workplace support

Teaching:
Modules on Gender and Feminism in Media, Critical Incidents in International Journalism, and Transnational Feminist Approaches to Media.