Stephen Fernandez

Stephen Fernandez serves as an Instructor in User Experience Design within the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Wilfrid Laurier University's Brantford campus. With over two decades of experience in higher education, he holds a PhD in digital media and intermedial performance from the University of Waterloo (2016) and specializes in creating inclusive learning environments for diverse student populations.

Academic Credentials

• PhD in Digital Media and Intermedial Performance, University of Waterloo, 2016

Research Profile

Fernandez's scholarship operates at the nexus of disability studies, digital media theory, and critical design methodologies. His work critically examines how digital technologies shape societal structures and cultural experiences, with particular attention to accessibility for persons with disabilities. Current investigations employ soma-based design and critical making techniques to develop multisensory interaction frameworks that enhance user experiences for disabled and elderly populations. Through the conceptual lens of "social futures," his research advocates for inclusive technological development that centers social dimensions in envisioning future human-technology relationships.

His peer-reviewed publications appear in venues including Technoculture, The International Journal of Performance Art and Digital Media, The Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, and IEEE Xplore. Fernandez serves on the Editorial Board of Technoculture and provides rigorous peer review services for humanities and social science journals as well as national research funding agencies.

Educational Leadership

Committed to student-centered pedagogy, Fernandez teaches across digital media studies, disability studies, and inclusive design curricula. His instructional approach emphasizes accessibility and cultural responsiveness through universal design principles, accommodating diverse learning needs while maintaining academic rigor. Office hours are maintained Fridays 10:00am-11:00am and 3:00pm-4:00pm in MDC110, with additional appointments available upon request. Fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin Chinese, he leverages multilingual capabilities to foster inclusive classroom environments.