Lisa Portolan Phd Thesis Podcast Film Event Best

Dr. Portolan earned her PhD from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), where her research centered on a topic that was, at the time, emerging as a critical field of study: digital intimacy and the gamification of dating apps. Her thesis explored how platforms like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge have fundamentally reshaped human connection, moving courtship from organic encounters to algorithm-driven transactions.

Key findings from her PhD include:

Her PhD supervisors noted that Portolan’s work was groundbreaking because it combined phenomenological interviews with digital ethnography. She didn’t just analyze data; she immersed herself in the worlds her subjects inhabited. This thesis has since been cited in over 200 subsequent studies on online dating, making it a foundational text in the sociology of digital media.

Portolan is known for hybrid events (in-person + virtual) that bridge academia and public conversation. Below are three standout event formats she has designed or keynoted.

| Event Title | Type | Audience | Highlights | |-------------|------|----------|-------------| | “The Dating App Diaries” | Interactive workshop | General public (18–35) | Live swipe analysis; group discussion on rejection; intimacy literacy exercises. | | Digital Intimacy Symposium | Academic conference | Scholars & students | Keynote on “Post-pandemic swiping”; panel on AI companions (Replika, ChatGPT romance). | | Intimacy in the Age of Algorithms | Public lecture + Q&A | Mixed (university & community) | Live podcast recording; audience shares screen time logs; critique of “dating app wellness” marketing. |

Notable keynote (2023):
“From Ghosting to Green Flags: Reclaiming Intimacy on Dating Apps” – presented at the International Association for the Study of Popular Culture (IASPC) and later adapted as a TEDx-style talk at Vivid Sydney.

Best collaborative event:
Co-hosted with Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Sydney – “Swiping the Gallery: Art, Apps, and Attention” – where attendees used dating app mechanics to interpret artworks, followed by a panel on visual self-presentation.

Format & Frequency:
Weekly podcast (30–45 min episodes) available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Acast.

Content Focus:
Explores modern intimacy in all its forms—romantic, sexual, platonic, familial, and self-intimacy—through the lens of digital culture, psychology, and sociology. lisa portolan phd thesis podcast film event best

Notable Episodes:

Guests:
Dating app founders, sexologists, sociologists (e.g., Dr. Treena Orchard), and everyday users sharing personal stories.

Unique angle:
Portolan blends her PhD research with accessible storytelling—explaining concepts like “algorithmic intimacy” or “digital afterglow” without jargon.

To understand the full scope of Portolan’s career, you must start with her doctoral research. The Lisa Portolan PhD thesis is not merely an academic requirement; it is the intellectual bedrock upon which everything else is built.

Title: Intimacy and the Algorithm: Digital Dating, Affective Labor, and the Construction of Romantic Selfhood (approx. 2019, University of Sydney/UTS – exact title may vary)

Core Arguments:

Key Findings:

Impact: Published as journal articles in New Media & Society, Media International Australia, and later expanded into her book Intimacy and the Algorithm (forthcoming/published by Palgrave). Her PhD supervisors noted that Portolan’s work was

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Dr. Lisa Portolan is a leading academic, author, and researcher whose work navigates the complex intersection of digital intimacy, romance, and modern technology. Her contributions have bridged the gap between rigorous scholarly research and popular culture, making her a prominent voice in discussions about how dating apps have fundamentally reshaped human connection. Academic Foundations: The PhD Thesis

Dr. Portolan’s academic research at Western Sydney University and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) focuses on the impact of dating apps on intimacy and romance. Her PhD thesis explores how these platforms reproduce or subvert traditional heteronormative dating paradigms.

A central concept in her research is "Jagged Love," a term she coined to describe the cyclical and often frustrating relationship users have with dating apps. Her work suggests that while users seek the security of a "romance masterplot," the infrastructure of these apps often fails to deliver, leading to a state of "romantic dread" where dating feels more like a task to manage than a story unfolding. The "Slow Love" Podcast

Translating her academic findings into a narrative format, Dr. Portolan co-created the Slow Love podcast alongside filmmaker Ruth Borgobello.

Concept: Born out of her PhD fieldwork during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the podcast captures raw and authentic stories of intimacy during a global crisis.

Impact: It documents the shift from physical dating to virtual connections, highlighting the vulnerability people showed when traditional dating avenues were closed. Film and Pop Culture Events Format & Frequency: Weekly podcast (30–45 min episodes)

Dr. Portolan is frequently featured at major cultural and industry events where she discusses the evolution of modern romance.

The "Meet-Cute" and Cinema: She has argued in The Guardian that modern cinema—such as Marriage Story and The Worst Person in the World—has moved away from saccharine "happily-ever-after" tropes toward themes of relationship anxiety and psychological satire.

Italian Film Festival: Her collaboration with Ruth Borgobello originally sparked at the Italian Film Festival in Canberra, where Borgobello’s film The Space Between was being showcased.

Public Speaking: She is a regular guest on programs like The Drum and Studio 10, and has presented at events like Raising the Bar. Best-Selling Books and Publications

Beyond her research, Dr. Portolan is a prolific author of both fiction and non-fiction. Dr Portolan (@lisaportolan) • Instagram photos and videos

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