Theresa M. Senft

Theresa M. Senft is a Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University's School of Communication, Society and Culture, specializing in digital media performance and identity. Her academic journey includes a PhD in Performance Studies from New York University (2004) and BA (Hons) in Political Science from SUNY Albany (1983). She maintains active affiliations with the World Health Organization's Infodemic Management Unit and the US CDC's Vaccine Confidence Unit.

Her research spans social media studies, digital identity performance, and infodemic management, with foundational work on microcelebrity culture and selfie phenomena. Senft pioneered the Selfie Researcher Network and developed the open-access Selfie Research Course. Her scholarship critically examines how visual display technologies reshape identity, public discourse, and health communication.

Analysis of her 57 research outputs reveals a strategic evolution from early internet culture studies (1990s) toward contemporary public health applications. Recent work integrates social media analytics with infodemic response frameworks, particularly focusing on youth populations. Her publications demonstrate interdisciplinary convergence across communication studies, public health, and digital ethics.

• American Library Association Award (1999)
• Dean’s Global Research Initiative Grant (2014)
• Digital Culture Fellowship, Aarhus University (2017)
• Faculty of Arts Teaching Champion Commendation (2018)
• Multiple WHO/CDC consultancy recognitions

Senft leads significant grant-funded initiatives including WHO Toolkit development for youth social media analysis and CDC vaccine confidence assessments. Her advisory roles extend to the WHO Expert Group for Ethics of Social Listening and Maori health information projects. The Selfie Researcher Network serves as her primary collaborative platform, connecting scholars across 12 countries to study visual digital culture.