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Book Reviews
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curriculum vitae
Alex Leavitt
Internet and media researcher. PhD student at USC *********.***********@*****.*******://alexleavitt.com 781-***-****
EDUCATION
University of Southern California
2016
Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism
Currently enrolled
Los Angeles, CA
Ph.D., Communication
USC Annenberg Graduate Fellowship
Boston University
2009
College of Arts & Sciences
Boston, MA
B.A., English Language & Literature; minor concentration in Japanese
Magna Cum Laude
Boston University Scholarship
Boston University Dean's List (5 of 8 semesters)
Kyoto University
2008
Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies
Kyoto, Japan
Freeman-ASIA Scholarship Recipient
RESEARCH POSITIONS
SocialFlow
2012 - present
New York, NY
Research & Development InternAnnenberg Innovation Lab
2012 - presentUniversity of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Research Assistant
Digital Media & Learning Research Hub
2011
University of California, Irvine; Los Angeles, CA
Consultant
for Mimi Ito, Ph.D.
Microsoft New England Research & Development2010 - 2011
Cambridge, MA
Research Assistant
to danah boyd, Ph.D.
Microsoft, Entertainment & Devices Division
2011
Cambridge, MA; Redmond, WA
Content Expert ConsultantConvergence Culture Consortium
2009 - 2011Comparative Media Studies Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cambridge,
MA
Research Specialist
Yale University2010
New Haven, CT
Research Assistant to Elizabeth Stark, J.D.
Web Ecology Project
2009 - present
Cambridge, MA
Lead ResearcherYouTomb
2008 - presentMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Researcher & AnalystBerkman Center for Internet & Society
2009
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Intern & Research Assistant, Digital Natives Project
Boston University & Kyoto University2008
Kyoto, Japan; Boston, MA
Research Assistant
to Professor Sarah Frederick
FELLOWSHIPS
Annenberg Innovation Lab Research Fellow2011 - present
Annenberg Innovation Lab, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA
HASTAC Scholar
2011 - present
Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory
USC Annenberg Graduate Fellow
2011 - present
Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, University of Southern California; Los
Angeles, CA
Futures of Entertainment Fellow
2011 - present
Futures of Entertainment Consortium
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
COMM 202: Communication & Technology
2012
Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism; Los Angeles, CA
Teaching Assistant
LSTU E-120: Internet and Society: Technologies and Politics of Control, Spring 2011
2011
Harvard University Extension School & Berkman Center for Internet & Society; Cambridge,
MA
Teaching Assistant
GRANTS, FUNDING, SCHOLARSHIPS, & AWARDS
Annenberg Graduate Fellowship Research Symposium Award
2012
$500
USC Annenberg Graduate Fellowship
2011 - 2016
FLOW TV Conference Travel Scholarship
2010
$150
Boston University UROP, Conference Participation Travel Award
2009
$500
Boston University UROP, Student Research Award
2008
$2000
Institute of International Education, Freeman-ASIA Award
2008
$5000
Boston University Merit Scholarship
2005 - 2009
$16,000 (per year)
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS:
PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS:
BOOK CHAPTERS
Henry Jenkins, Joshua Green, Sam Ford, Eleanor Baird, Sheila Seles, Grant McCracken,
Derek Johnson, Alex Leavitt, Jason Mittell. (Forthcoming). "The Problem of Media
Engagement." Spreadable Media: Creating Value in a Network Culture.
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS:
BOOK REVIEWS
Alex Leavitt. 2010. Inside Scanlation [Web site review]. Transformative Works and
Cultures, no. 5.
http://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/215/172
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS:
ONLINE ARTICLES
Alex Leavitt. 2011. "Minecraft, 'Open-Source Culture,' & Networked Game Development" In
Media Res.
http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/imr/2011/08/17/minecraft-open-source-culture-
networked-game-development
Alex Leavitt. 2011. "The Global Cult(ure) of Hatsune Miku" In Media Res.
http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/imr/2011/04/29/global-culture-hatsune-miku
WHITE PAPERS
[private 2]
2011
Alex Leavitt. Microsoft: Entertainment & Devices Division.
[private 1]
2011
Alex Leavitt. Microsoft: Entertainment & Devices Division.
"Watching with the World: Television Audiences and Online Social Networks"
2011
Alex Leavitt.
"ChatRoulette: An Initial Survey"
2010
Alex Leavitt, Tim Hwang. Web Ecology Project.
"The Influentials: New Approaches for Analyzing Influence on Twitter"
2009
Alex Leavitt. Web Ecology Project.
"The Iranian Election on Twitter: The First Eighteen Days"
2009
Alex Leavitt, John Beilin, Matt Blake, Mac Cowell, Dave Fisher, Sam Gilbert, Russell
Hanson, Tim Hwang, Greg Marra, Robert Mason, Colin McSwiggen, Dharmishta Rood, Aaron Shaw,
Frank Tobia, Seth Woodworth. Web Ecology Project.
CONFERENCES, PANELS & PRESENTATIONS:
RESEARCH
International Communication Association
2012
Phoenix, AZ
Panelist
Jumping for Fun? Negotiating Mobility and the Geopolitics of Foursquare
Local and Mobile: 3rd Joint International Conference of the Pan-American Mobilities
Network
2012
University of North Carolina
Panelist
Jumping for Fun? Negotiating Mobility and the Geopolitics of Foursquare
South by Southwest
2012
Austin, TX
Speaker
The Open-Source Cult(ure) of Hatsune Miku
Participation!/Exploitation? Graduate Conference
2012
UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Panelist
She's Dying on YouTube: Vocaloid, Open-Source Culture, and the Save Miku Campaign
TransmediaLA
2012
Los Angeles, CA
Lecturer
The Open-Source Cult(ure) of Hatsune Miku
Digital Media & Learning Conference
2012
San Francisco, CA
Panelist & Moderator
Learning In & Around Game: Minecraft as Affinity Space
Microsoft Social Computing Symposium
2012
New York City, NY
Workshop Lecturer
From Platforms to Ecosystems: Hatsune Miku as Global Phenomenon
Active Cultures
2012
Pacific Asia Museum; Pasadena, CA
Lecturer
The Cult of Hatsune Miku
Internet Research 12
2011
Association of Internet Researchers Annual Conference; Seattle, WA
Panelist
How I Saved An Internet: Encyclopedia Dramatica & the Practical and Ethical Tensions of
Backing Up
Penny Arcade Expo: Prime
2011
Seattle, WA
Lecturer
The Hidden Value of Punching Trees: Minecraft & the Future of Game Culture
Mindshare LA
2011
Los Angeles, CA
Lecturer
Social Disruption: How We Complicate Technology
Anime Expo: 2011 Academic Symposium
2011
Los Angeles, CA
Panelist
"Open-Source" Culture & the Cult of Hatsune Miku
International Communication Association
2011
Boston, MA
Panelist (Pre-Conference Workshop: Placing the Aesthetic in Popular Culture: Quality,
Value, and Beauty in Communication and Scholarship)
"Open-Source" Culture & the Cult of Hatsune Miku
Media in Transition 7
2011
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Panelist
Digital Culture in Transition: "Open-Source" Culture & the Cult of Hatsune Miku
Barcamp Boston 6
2011
Boston, MA
Lecturer
When Viral Went Viral: Social Media Norms & the Story of Minecraft
Penny Arcade Expo: East
2011
Boston, MA
Lecturer
The Hidden Value of Punching Trees: What Minecraft Reveals About Game Culture
Digital Media & Learning Conference: Designing Learning Futures
2011
Long Beach, California
Panelist & Moderator (Refereed Panel)
Playing with Fire: Learning in Niche Online Communities
Open Video Conference
2010
New York University, New York, NY
Lecturer
When YouTube Killed the Downfall Meme
FLOW Conference
2010
UT Austin, Austin, TX
Panelist
What's Stopping the (Global) Flow of TV?
Pecha Kucha 18
2010
Boston, MA
Lecturer
Vuvuzela, World's Biggest Joke: Or, Beyond Iterative Design in the Mainstreamification of
Participatory Internet Culture
humanities + digital Visual Interpretations Conference
2010
MIT, Cambridge, MA
Lecturer
Social Media as Paratextual Narrative: Visualizing Twitter Surges in Response to Popular
Television Shows
Popular Culture Association National Conference
2010
St. Louis, MO
Research Panelist
From Narrative to Character: Transmedia, Emotional Economies, and the Success of Neon
Genesis Evangelion
Penny Arcade Expo: East
2010
Boston, MA
Lecturer
Memes, Microcultures, and 2D Chicks: Our Future in the Otaku Gamer
Ignite Boston 6
2010
Boston, MA
Lecturer
Moe: Media Meets Reality
Schoolgirls and Mobilesuits: Culture and Creation in Manga and Anime, Minneapolis College
of Art and Design
2009
Minneapolis, MN
Lecturer
Death to Narrative Structure! The Conflicting Relationship of Money & Vision in Neon
Genesis Evangelion
Open Video Conference
2009
New York University, New York, NY
Lecturer
Anime Video Culture: The Case of Fansubs, Anime Music Videos, & Copyright
Popular Culture Association National Conference
2009
New Orleans, LA
Panelist
Asian Popular Culture - Otaku: The (Un)popular Fandom
Harvard Program for Asian & International Relations
2009
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Panelist
Trends of Education in Asia
CONFERENCES, PANELS & PRESENTATIONS:
INDUSTRY
Minecon
2010
Las Vegas, NV
Panelist
Minecraft: Gaming & Education
Canadian Marketing Association Direct Marketing Conference
2010
Toronto, Canada
Lecturer
After Convergence Culture: The Producer-Consumer Wars in the Age of Social Media
MacLaren MCM MMU Conference
2010
Toronto, Canada
Lecturer
After Convergence Culture: The Producer-Consumer Wars in the Age of Social Media
2010 Future of News and Civic Media Conference
2010
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Panelist
Kids These Days: Youth and Online Communities
BarCamp Boston 5
2010
Boston, MA
Lecturer
Euro Plus Cloud Minus Plane Equals Question Mark: How the Internet is Reacting to a Giant
Volcano
The Next Big Issues in Social Media (As Told By ChatRoulette)
Podcamp Boston 4
2009
Boston, MA
Lecturer
How Did Social Technology Change Web Culture?
South by Southwest
2009
Austin, TX
Moderator & Panelist
Blackboards or Backchannels: (Social) Technology in the Classroom of Tomorrow
CONFERENCES, PANELS & PRESENTATIONS:
FAN CONVENTIONS
Comikaze
2011
Los Angeles, CA
Lecturer
Uncool Japan: The Trials & Tribulations of Japanese Pop Culture
Anime 201: You've Seen Some Shows, Now What?
Anime Expo
2011
Los Angeles, CA
Lecturer
Uncool Japan: The Trials & Tribulations of Japanese Pop Culture
A Survey of Anime Intro & Ending Themes
Anime Tune-Up: Exploring Animation Through Music
New York Anime Festival
2010
New York, NY
Moderator
Anime in Academia
Otakon
2010
Baltimore, MD
Moderator
Anime in Academia
Lecturer
Experiments in the Anime Industry: noitaminA
What's the Point of Anime Opening & Ending Themes?
Anime Boston
2010
Boston, MA
Moderator
Anime in Academia
Lecturer
Introduction to Anime Intro and Ending Themes
After Cowboy Bebop: The Works of Shinichiro Watanabe
Chains, Trains, and Happy Endings: Japan's Underground Sex Culture
On the Road for Anime Pilgrimages
Impact of Evangelion
Hentai Manga: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
From Antisocial Loser to Economic Hero: The History of Otakudom
Otakon
2009
Baltimore, MD
Moderator
Anime in Academia
Lecturer
Without Watching the Anime: Opening & Ending Themes
The Impact of Evangelion
The Problem with Otaku
Anime Expo
2009
Anaheim, CA
Lecturer
Without Watching the Anime: Opening & Ending Themes
The Problem with Otaku
Panelist
Anime in Academia
Introduction to Anime & Manga Studies
Anime Boston
2009
Boston, MA
Lecturer
Music, Genre, & the Works of Shinichiro Watanabe
The Virtual Worlds of Anime
The Anime That's Not Anime: Opening & Ending Themes
Chains, Trains, & Love Hotels: The Japanese Sex Industry
Panelist
Akiba Empire: The Otaku Influence
Connecticon
2008
Hartford, CT
Lecturer
The Anime Culture
Anime Boston
2008
Boston, MA
Moderator & Panelist
Technology, Globalization, and the American Otaku
Trescaflowgun: Comparative Themes in Japanese Animation
CONFERENCES, PANELS & PRESENTATIONS:
EVENT MANAGEMENT
Digital Media & Learning Conference: Designing Learning Futures
2012
Long Beach, California
Organizer
Futures of Entertainment 5
2011
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Organizer
Digital Media & Learning Conference: Designing Learning Futures
2011
Long Beach, California
Organizer
ROFLcon II
2010
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Communications Manager
Futures of Entertainment 4
2009
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Event Manager
ROFLthing NY
2009
New York City, NY
Staff
Beyond Broadcast
2008
American University, Washington, D.C.
Social Media Consultant
CONFERENCES, PANELS & PRESENTATIONS:
DELEGATION
MIT Business in Gaming
2010
Microsoft New England Research & Development, Cambridge, MA
Delegate
Harvard Program for Asian & International Relations
2008 - 2009
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Delegate
Beyond Broadcast
2008
American University, Washington, D.C.
Delegate
Berkman@10
2008
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Delegate
ROFLcon
2008
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Delegate
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Fluent in English
Conversant & literate in French
Intermediate skills in Japanese
Elementary skills in Mandarin Chinese
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Web Design: HTML (fluent), CSS (intermediate), Javascript (beginner), Processing
(beginner)
Web Development: Python (beginner), MySQL (beginner)
Graphic Design: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign (intermediate)
Video/Audio: Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Soundbooth, Audacity (intermediate
Contact this candidate