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Ross Garner BA (Cardiff), MA (Bristol), PhD (Cardiff)

Dr Ross Garner

(he/him)

BA (Cardiff), MA (Bristol), PhD (Cardiff)

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Media commentator
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Available for postgraduate supervision

Teams and roles for Ross Garner

Overview

I'm Dr Ross Garner and I'm a Senior Lecturer at JOMEC with specialist knowledge concerning the Spatial and Material Cultures of Media Consumption. I joined the School in September 2012 and currently research and teach around aspects of media and spatialised experiences, virtual reality and immersive media technologies, and high-profile media franchises like Pokemon, Transformers, and Jurassic Park/World. This means that I'm really interested in how franchises like these become integrated with the Experience Economy, the technologies that are used in realising these types of experiences, and the fans that are targeted by the experiences.

For the last five years I have been Co-Investigator on the Media Tourism compoment of the UKRI-funded project media.cymru. Working alongside Cardiff-based content producers Nimble Productions, this project considers how Cardiff can harness the possibilities of media-based tourism attractions within the city as a method for boosting innovation, creativity, and employment. Previously, and working alongside Naomi Dunstan, I was one of the primary researchers on the AHRC/REACT-funded project Fans on Foot which explored the possibilities of developing connected objects to enhance the experiences of media fans visiting locations used for the filming of their favourite TV programmes.

Publication

2027

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2011

2010

2009

2008

Articles

Book sections

Conferences

Thesis

Research

My research is in Media and Cultural Studies and primarily explores intersections between the Experience Economy, spatial experiences of media franchises, media technologies, and fans and audiences. This can involve anaylzing any combination of industiral strategising, the role of technologies in developing and delivering these experiences, the form and content of experiences produced for media IPs and franchises, industry constructions and targeting of fan audiences, and transmediality franchise development. 

My current areas of research cover:

  • Media tourism.
  • Transmediality and transmedia tourism.
  • Intersections between spatial media and the Experience Economy.
  • Location-based experiences.
  • Virtual reality.
  • Cult media franchises.
  • The Pokemon franchise.
  • The Transformers franchise.
  • The Jurassic Park/World franchise.
  • Fan collectors and cult media merchandising strategies.
  •  

Teaching

Modules:

Ross is Module Leader and/or part of the teaching team on the following undergraduate courses:

  • Year Three - Screening Locations
  • Year Three - Immersive Media
  • Year Two - Screen Industries
  • Year One - An Introduction to Media Audiences
  • Year One - History of Mass Communications.

Supervision:

Ross supervises dissertation research across BA, MA and PhD levels. Typical topics of interest include (but are not necessarily limited to):

  • Media tourism, experiences, and spaces.
  • Transmediality and transmedia storytelling.
  • American cinema franchises and associated industries.
  • Fan collecting and lifestyles.
  • Audience consumption habits and reception contexts

Biography

I joined JOMEC in September 2012 and have since taught a number of modules across all three levels of the undergraduate programmes. My current teaching and research focuses around media-themed spaces, places, and experiences (e.g., theme parks, themed attractions, escape rooms, etc.) and virtual reality. This involves adopting a combined focus on industry trends, technological developments and high-profile franchises such as Pokemon and Transformers. 

My previous teaching at JOMEC has explored a range of topics relating to popular culture and audio-visual media. These have included fictional television, the horror, fantasy and science-fiction genres in film and television, audience studies and reception, industrial histories of UK and US film and television, and marketing, promotion and branding in UK and US film and television.  

Before joining JOMEC, I previously taught at both the University of South Wales and the University of Worcester. 

Honours and awards

  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (awarded 2015).
  • Postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (Cardiff University, 2015). Award classification: Distinction.
  • PhD in Media and Cultural Studies (Cardiff University, 2013) - thesis topic was Constructions of Nostalgia in a Genre Cycle of British TV Time Travel Dramas 2005-2008.  
  • MA in Television Studies (University of Bristol, 2006). Award classification: Distinction.
  • BA in Journalism, Film and Broadcasting (Cardiff University, 2004). Award classification: First-class honors.

Academic positions

  • Senior Lecturer (previously Lecturer) at JOMEC, Cardiff University since 2012.
  • Associate Lecturer at University of Worcester, 2011-12.
  • Associate Lecturer at University of South Wales, 2010-12.

Speaking engagements

  • Invited guest speaker on podcasts.
  • Regular invited speaker on BBC Radio Wales to discuss various aspects of film, television, and popular culture.
  • Interviewed for newspapers and supplements including The Times.

Supervisions

I would welcome applications from prospective students who wish to study topics related to the following areas:

  • Media tourism.
  • Spatial media experiences of media franchises and the Experience Economy.
  • Transmediality.
  • Virtual reality.
  • Cult media franchises.
  • The Pokemon franchise.
  • The Transformers franchise.
  • The Jurassic Park/World franchise.
  • Fan collectors and cult media merchandising strategies.

Current supervision

Su Li

Su Li

Mily Feng

Mily Feng

Amelia Cross

Amelia Cross

Past projects

Previous PhD student topics have included:

  • Constructions of 'dread spaces' within film (a joint supervision with colleagues from the School of Architecture)

Contact Details

Email [email protected]
Telephone +44 29208 75475
Campuses Two Central Square, Floor Two, Room 2.55, Central Square, Cardiff, CF10 1FS

Research themes

Specialisms

  • Media tourism
  • Experience Economy
  • virtual reality
  • Film and Television
  • Popular Culture

External profiles