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Staff profiles

Personal details

Name
Dr T.J. Thomson
Position(s)
Lecturer
Creative Industries Faculty,
School of Communication
Discipline *
Communication and Media Studies, Journalism and Professional Writing
Phone
+61 7 3138 5919
Email
Location
View location details (QUT staff and student access only)
Identifiers and profiles
ORCID iD Twitter LinkedIn
Qualifications

PhD, Journalism (University of Missouri), MA, Journalism (University of Missouri), Graduate Certificate, Qualitative Research (University of Missouri), BA, Communication Arts (Other)

Professional memberships
and associations
Keywords

visual communication, visual journalism, journalism, media production, self-representation, visual representation, visual depictions, image culture, visual literacy, visual sociology

* Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008

Biography

Dr. T.J. Thomson, FHEA, is an award-winning visual communication scholar and educator. His research focuses on visual media production, organization, representation, and meaning—in journalistic and digital media contexts—and has been published in top peer-reviewed journals including Journalism, Journalism Practice, and Journalism Studies. He is the author of To See and Be Seen: The Environments, Interactions and Identities Behind News Images (published November 2019 by Rowman & Littlefield International).

Thomson has taught and guest lectured on, among other topics, mobile multimedia, multimedia planning and design, visual editing, and context-specific photography. He has served as the associate editor of Visual Communication Quarterly since 2017 and is on the advisory board of the Society for Phenomenology and Media.

The Australian and New Zealand Communication Association and the Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia recognised him in 2019 with the Anne Dunn Scholar of the Year Award for critical research of high academic standard and excellence in research about the fields of communication and journalism.

Professionally, Thomson has worked as the photo editor for an international wire service, produced visuals for The Associated Press, The Washington Post, The Omaha World-Herald, The Huffington Post, and has provided design production and consulting for dozens of companies and clients, including a California startup that was acquired in 2015 by Facebook.

His supervisory interests include: journalistic practice, photography, visual culture, self-representation in digital media contexts, and visual sociology.

This information has been contributed by Dr T.J. Thomson.

Teaching

In the classroom, Dr. T.J. Thomson, FHEA, has helped students explore and deepen their understandings of multimedia reporting, multimedia planning and design, visual editing, photography, interviewing, and the principles of journalism.

This information has been contributed by Dr T.J. Thomson.

Experience

Dr. T.J. Thomson, FHEA, has experience with both journalistic and corporate communication. Before entering academia, he worked as a freelance visual journalist and designer for a number of news outlets and organizations, including The Associated Press, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, and the Omaha World-Herald. Corporate clients include QuickFire Networks, which was acquired by Facebook in 2015; Colorado Academy; and HotelTonight.

This information has been contributed by Dr T.J. Thomson.

Publications


For more publications by this staff member, visit QUT ePrints, the University's research repository.

Awards

Awards and recognition

Type
Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
Reference year
2019
Details
Recipient of the 2019 Anne Dunn Scholar of the Year Award, awarded by the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association and the Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia. This nationally-competitive award recognises critical research of high academic standard and excellence in research about the fields of communication and journalism and is accompanied by a $3,000 cash prize.
Type
Editorial Role for an Academic Journal
Reference year
2018
Details
Named associate editor of Visual Communication Quarterly - an international, peer-reviewed journal of theory, research, practical criticism, and creative work in all areas of visual communication - in 2017.
Type
Advisor/Consultant for Community
Reference year
2018
Details
Nominated in March 2018 by Society for Phenomenology and Media founder Paul Majkut and confirmed the following month by the organisation's board of directors to serve as an advisor for the Society and provide insight on strategic priorities and operations.
Type
Reviewer for an Academic Journal
Reference year
2018
Details
Visual Communication Quarterly (VCQ) is an international, peer-reviewed journal of theory, research, practical criticism, and creative work in all areas of visual communication.
Type
Reviewer for an Academic Journal
Reference year
2018
Details
Visual Communication is a quarterly, peer-reviewed academic journal publishing top research in visual studies. It welcomes contributions from scholars in anthropology, sociology, cultural and media studies, among others.
Type
Reviewer for an Academic Journal
Reference year
2018
Details
Journalism Practice provides opportunities for reflective, critical and research-based studies focused on the professional practice of journalism. The emphasis on journalism practice does not imply any false or intellectually disabling disconnect between theory and practice, but simply an assertion that Journalism Practice¿s primary concern is to analyse and explore issues of practice and professional relevance. Journalism Practice is an intellectually rigorous journal with all contributions being refereed anonymously by acknowledged international experts in the field. An intellectually lively, but professionally experienced, Editorial Board with a wide-ranging experience of journalism practice advises and supports the Editor.