My broader research sits at the intersection of media, culture, and society, focusing on the nexus between digital media and race/ethnicity. Currently, I am researching how different societies experience and combat misinformation and disinformation in their everyday engagement with digital media. I use a mixed method approach to study, evaluate and develop potential products and solutions to combat mis- and disinformation. I also have significant experience developing research impact strategies and conducting engaged research.

My research in the area of mis- and disinformation examines the relationship between culture, technologies and everyday practices. My current research has two major goals: (1) to examine and map multi-dimensional and complex scenarios of mis- and disinformation dissemination; and (2) to develop a set of effective and impactful tools and strategies using co-creational methodologies to support multi-cultural and multi-lingual communities to identify and debunk false claims and address the information and communication vulnerabilities within their own families and communities.

Methodologically, my research adopts and advocates a Global South critical approach to disinformation research, which is firmly grounded in history, culture, and politics and centres questions on how institutional power and economic, social, cultural, and technological structures shape disinformation. By doing so, I join scholars with similar research lines who look to transnational approaches to disinformation that consider cross-cutting geopolitical formations and imperial histories. 

Prior to joining the Queen’s, I worked at Western Sydney University and University Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia, in both research and teaching capacities.

From 2021 – 2023, I worked as a Post-doctoral Researcher at the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University, on two Australian Research Council (ARC) projects in different capacities. The first project, Advancing Digital Inclusion in Low-income Australian Families, conducted a national-level ethnographic investigation to examine the complex relationship between digital and social inclusion and social infrastructure’s role (education facilities, charities, government services) in supporting low-income families. The second project, Heritage-making among recent migrants in Parramatta, studied the place-making and meaning-making practices with existing heritage sites in Parramatta. In 2022, I was involved as a Chief Investigator (CI) in developing an industry-partnership research project that examined trust and considered how this shapes behaviours during critical events (e.g., election campaigning, extraordinary enforcement/compliance measures against population segments).

In 2022, I was invited by the Institute for Culture and Society to co-lead their research and engagement program – Platform for Civic Media Literacy. The initiatives in this platform aim to tackle challenges that are entangled with digital media and information infrastructures and business models, including misinformation, digital exclusion, media bias and political polarisation. The platform also seeks to investigate problems that emerge because of poor and inappropriate media and technology design, distribution, and regulation, including misinformation, digital exclusion, political polarisation, media bias and racism.

In 2021, I graduated with a PhD in Media and Cultural Studies from the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University. I also hold a Master’s in Communication Studies and a B.Sc. in Computer Science.

Using an interdisciplinary approach to examine the interconnection between media, religion, and popular culture, my PhD research examined the discursive features and communication strategies of TED Talks on Islam. This is the first-ever comprehensive study to explore the communication features of TED Talks on faith that emerge at the nexus of the sacred and secular within a popular media space.

Both nationally and internationally, I am a core contributor to cross-sector and knowledge-brokering initiatives that are instrumental in understanding and addressing issues relating to social justice, migration, Muslim subjectivities, and media practices. Internationally, for example, I am associated with several Indian organisations working in the space of counter-misinformation. These projects assert the need to bring activists, journalists, and scholars from the social sciences, media, statistics, and computer science to study how to bridge India’s partisan divide.

I have received national and international recognition for my studies and work, as evidenced by my numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, scholarships, conference participation, and professional memberships.

Currently, I teach media and broadcast studies to both undergraduate and postgraduate students at the School of Arts, Media and Languages.

Module Convenor for:

BCP1003 - Broadcast Analysis II

BCP2006 - Media Audiences

BCP3007 - Media & Misinformation

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From 2021 - 2023, I taught digital media studies at the School of Communications, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia. In this role, I delivered tutorial content and facilitated learning exercises for students pursuing careers in different media and communication sectors, including digital media, social media, media production, screen media production, visual communications and media marketing. In 2022, I was invited by the School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney, to deliver a guest lecture on media, religion and popular culture.

From 2017-2021, I worked as a Sessional Academic at the School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University. During this tenure, I taught multiple online and on-campus units and also worked as an assistant course coordinator and guest lecturer.

From 2006-2008, I served as a Faculty member in media and communication studies at the AMC Institute in Bangalore, India. During this tenure, I taught both undergraduate and postgraduate students on media and communication studies and also served as a supervisor for postgraduate degree thesis projects.