My first video game was Pong. My first computer an Apple IIe. I have great memories of grade school and being rewarded for good behavior with 15 minutes of computer time, and of my middle school science teacher using a dot matrix printer and 8-bit computer graphics to create invitations to dissections. I have been lucky to witness the birth and explosion of video games, the internet, social media, and all things digital. It’s become so ingrained in my psyche that I can’t imagine life without it! It is also the focus and source of my dissertation.
My research focuses on digital media, and how we consume it, either individually or collectively. I am examining media rhetoric and language in a particular set of serial killer cases, and how it creates and perpetuates harmful narratives against women, particularly marginalized women. My dissertation research allows me to challenge the traditional notion of archival research by expanding the definition to include digital media. In addition, I am creating my own digital media archive which will include a digital memorial space for the victims.
As a returning DRC fellow, I am excited to continue to explore and create new digital media. I’m thankful for the opportunity to deepen my understanding of digital rhetoric. I’m looking forward to collaborating with and learning from fellow DRC scholars this year and to the many possibilities available with the DRC!
You can reach out to me at lmenard@bgsu.edu, on Twitter at @LauraLeigh425, or at my website coffeewithlauraleigh.com.
