Dr Rama Venkatasawmy

Dr Rama Venkatasawmy

  • Senior Lecturer
  • Programme Leader for MA in Visual Communication and Media Studies
Department of Film and Theatre
  • School of Film and Performing Arts
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
SDGs Focus

Biography

Dr Rama Venkatasawmy has 25 years of international experience in the delivery of higher education teaching, in research and programme management. His expertise is in Communication, Media, Film Studies and the Creative Industries. Fluent in English and French, he has previously worked in five multi-cultural and multi-lingual higher education institutions in four different countries.

Dr Rama's multi-disciplinary research has so far addressed creativity and cultural production, digital visual effects, Hollywood cinema, Australian cinema, and indigenous cultures of Borneo. Additionally, he has produced conference and research papers that investigate the implications of Big Data for media education and that discuss various aspects of leadership, curriculum delivery, teaching and learning in transnational higher education contexts. 

Academic & Professional Qualifications

  • PhD 鈥 Doctor of Philosophy, Murdoch University, Australia (2010)
  • MEdStud 鈥 Master of Educational Studies, University of Newcastle, Australia (2015)
  • BA Hons I 鈥 Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies with First Class Honours, Murdoch University, Australia (1996)
  • AdvCertUnivTeach 鈥 Advanced Certificate in University Teaching, University of Newcastle, Australia (2014)
  • CertUnivTeach 鈥 Certificate in University Teaching University of Newcastle, Australia (2013)

Research Interests

  • Communication
  • Media
  • Film
  • Creative Industries
  • Digital Visual Effects
  • Communication and Media Education

Teaching Areas

  • Communication
  • Media
  • Film
  • Creative Industries

Courses Taught

  • PAF2024 Visual Culture
  • COM5044 Technology, Development & Media
  • COM5034 Narratives in Media

Notable Publications

Books

  1. Venkatasawmy, R. (2013). The Digitization of Cinematic Visual Effects: Hollywood鈥檚 Coming of Age. Lanham: Lexington.  
  2. Venkatasawmy, R., Bibi Aminah A.G., & Justin, T. (2009). Sarawakiana series 鈥 The Traditional Kayan Wedding: Pelah Hawa. Kuching: Pustaka Negeri (National Library) Sarawak.

Book Chapters

  1. Venkatasawmy, R. & Yeap, P.F. (2024). 鈥業ssues and Challenges for Educational Leadership in the Implementation of ICT-Intensive Strategies for Higher Education in Post-Pandemic Malaysia鈥. In J. Rudolph, J. Crawford, S. Choon-Yin & S. Tan (eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Crisis Leadership in Higher Education. 377-396. Palgrave Macmillan.
  2. Venkatasawmy, R. (2009). 鈥楾heorizing the Hybridity of 鈥淎ustralianness鈥 in Australian Cinema鈥. In A. Sarwal & R. Sarwal (eds.), Creative Nation: Australian Cinema and Cultural Studies Reader. 233-252. New Delhi: SSS Publications.

Refereed Journal Articles

  1. Venkatasawmy, R. (2021). 鈥楳ore Than Just a Lust for Life: a Systems View of Iggy Pop鈥檚 Creativity鈥. Creative Industries Journal. doi: .
  2. Venkatasawmy, R. (2019). 鈥業dentifying Systemic Creativity in Vince Gilligan鈥檚 Breaking Bad鈥. Journal of Popular Television, vol.7, issue 1, 93-108. doi: 10.1386/jptv.7.1.93_1.
  3. Venkatasawmy, R. (2018). 鈥楥ommunication and Media Education in an Era of Big Data鈥. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education (JISE), vol.7, issue 1, 87-101.
  4. Venkatasawmy, R. (2017). 鈥楾ransnationalizing Australian Higher Education Communication and Media Studies Curricula for Offshore Delivery in South-East Asia鈥. International Journal of Trend in Research and Development (IJTRD), Special Issue (ICAST-17), 47-53.
  5. Venkatasawmy, R. (2017). 鈥楥reating the Dragon: a Systems View of Bruce Lee鈥檚 Innovative Screen Fighting鈥. Film International, vol.15, issue 2, 34-45.
  6. Venkatasawmy, R. (2016). 鈥楥risis in the Digital Visual Effects Industry and Hollywood Cinema鈥. Film International, vol.14, issue 1, 6-23.
  7. Venkatasawmy, R. (2016). 鈥楾he Offshore Delivery of Australian Transnational Higher Education (TNHE) in South-East Asia: Some Challenges鈥. ATINER'S Conference Paper Series, 1-17.
  8. Venkatasawmy, R. (2015). 鈥楾he Americanization of English Soccer: A Bird鈥檚 Eye View鈥. Americana (E-Journal of American Studies in Hungary), vol.11, no.2, Fall 2015.
  9. Venkatasawmy, R. (2015). 鈥楨thnic Conflict and Development in Africa: a Short Critical Discussion鈥. Transcience: a Journal of Global Studies, vol.6, issue 2, 26-36.
  10. Venkatasawmy, R. (2012). 鈥楾he Evolution of VFX-Intensive Filmmaking in 20th Century Hollywood Cinema: An Historical Overview鈥. TMC Academic Journal, vol.6, issue 2, 17-31. 

Achievements & Accolades

  • International Conference on Arts, Science & Technology 2017 (ICAST- Dubai 2017) Best Paper Award, 2017.
  • University of Newcastle Excellence in Teaching Award, 2017.
  • University of Newcastle Excellence in Teaching Award, 2015.
  • University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor鈥檚 Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning Award, 2013.