Susanne Julia Thurow

Dr. Susanne Julia Thurow is a Research Fellow at the iCinema Centre for Interactive Cinema Research within UNSW Sydney’s School of Arts, Design & Architecture. Her interdisciplinary research bridges Performing Arts, Digital Media, and Indigenous Australian Studies, focusing on contemporary theatre and immersive interactive aesthetics.

• ARC Laureate Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Associate Director Research (Creative Arts), iCinema Centre
• Research Program Leader in Climate Aesthetics

Education:

• Doctor of Philosophy (English Philology), Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (2017)
• First State Examination in the Career of Teachers at the Secondary School (English + German), Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (2009)

Her research explores the decolonizing potential of Indigenous and Western theatrical languages and leverages advanced interactive visualization and AI to revolutionize design processes in the performing arts and museum sectors. Key collaborations include Sydney Theatre Company, NIDA, MAAS, and Opera Australia.

She has contributed to ARC Linkage Projects LP170100471 (2018-21), LP180100126 (2019-23), and LP190100563 (2021-25), with grants totaling over $1.5 million. These projects address immersive spatial aesthetics, digital archiving of ephemeral artworks, and networked museum narratives.

Scientific Awards:

• Routledge monograph (2020) on Indigenous Australian identity in theatre, which won two awards.
• UNSW Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (2019)
• UNSW ECAN Award (2021)
• ASAL's Alvie Egan Book Award (2021)

Dr. Thurow’s professional background spans education, print media, public broadcasting, and marketing, including roles at the ABC, Goethe Institut, and Thalia Theater (Hamburg). She supports the University of Sydney’s Indigenous petition research and has advised on artistic systems for fire safety and museum innovation.