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Prof Jeffrey Brand

Associate Dean - Learning & Teaching

Level 4, Building 1a, Faculty of Society & Design, Bond University

Faculty of Society & Design

Accepting PhD Students

Professional biography

Professor Jeff Brand is an internationally recognised and nationally awarded career academic in the discipline of communication and media with expertise in quantitative research methodology, an intellectual interest in policy for the digital economy, and leadership experience in tertiary operations and governance. In 2013 he was awarded a national Excellence in Teaching Citation from the Australian Office of Learning and Teaching for using Minecraft as a Virtual Learning Environment. He founded Bachelors of Multimedia and Computer Games at Bond University in 2007 and the Bachelor of Interactive Media and Design in 2013. He has served as Director of Capacity Building for the Collaborative Research Network at Bond, Chair of the Bond University Higher Degree Research Committee, Head of School, Associate Dean, and Chair of the Human Research Ethics Committee. He currently serves as Associate Dean for Engagement and International in the Faculty of Society and Design and Convenor of the research mentorship program. Professor Brand is the lead author of the Interactive Australia and Interactive New Zealand series of national computer games audience studies supported by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association, author (with Prof. Mark Pearson) of Sources of News and Current Affairs published by the Australian Broadcasting Authority and co-author with inter-institutional colleagues in SBS research Living Diversity and Connecting Diversity.

Research interests

I completed postgraduate research in social cognition related to media at Michigan State University in 1995. My interest in media is undiminished and my contribution to the field is something I am delighted to share in my teaching, research and service. The underlying thread through all my work is that our use of media tools is complex and worthy of our considered exploitation of their affordances for our betterment.

As a career researcher of the media, my work explores media channels, media content, media audiences and the policies of government that regulate media. This work is important and requires a large research workforce to understand the complex enormity of media in contemporary society. According to leading research firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), spending on entertainment and media in Australia alone will reach almost $40 Billion by 2018.

Media are always changing and so are the social, economic and political practices around them. This is furtive ground for future research - particularly in areas related to digitalisation, convergence and the integration of entertainment with learning. My work in the coming decade will focus on the marriage of computer games with books through converged hardware, software and formal features of media messages.

Teaching awards

  • 2013 Excellence in Teaching Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning

Professional admissions

  • Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)

Professional appointments

  • Consultant - Interactive Games and Entertainment Association
  • Consultant - Australian Communications and Media Authority
  • Classification Advisory Committee - Australian Law Reform Commission
  • Consultant - Special Broadcasting System - Policy Branch
  • Consultant - Australian Classification Board

Qualifications

  • Communication , Arts and Sciences, PhD, Michigan State University, Award Date: 1 Aug 1995

Fields of Research

  • Communication and media studies

Statement for HDR students

I have supervised three doctoral and many masters' students to successful completion. Today, a significant proportion of my work is dedicated to supervising Higher Degree Research (HDR) students in order to contribute to the growing need for research capacity in the knowledge economy.

My past students have completed theses on gender stereotypes, computer games in primary education and media stereotypes of drug cheats in sport. Two of my former PhD students work at universities and one at a national broadcaster.

I currently have seven HDR students who are writing theses on:

  • Film-to-game adaptation
  • Symbolic interactionism of design communications
  • E-Textbook adoption and innovation
  • Enriched e-books, immersion and psychological presence
  • Social media in crisis communications
  • Use of role-playing games to retain cultural heritage
  • Play in open world, endless games
  • New games journalism

I am looking for students to work with me on an exciting project that explores the evolution of books and computer games.

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