I’m Eleanor Sandry. Welcome to my winding path of thinking and posting at Zigzaggery.
I was a Senior Lecturer in Digital and Social Media / Internet Studies at Curtin University. Alongside my teaching, where I could find time, I was a researcher in human-machine communication (HMC) and, to an extent, I’m planning to continue that research. I’m mainly interested in non-humanoid robots, which I most often find in creative art and fictional contexts.
For me, robots have the most potential to be interesting and valuable in human lives if they are explicitly different from humans, with nonhumanlike ways to act in and on the world.
I’m aware though that I might not do much research or writing about robots for a while, other than the two pieces of writing to which I’m already committed (an article and a book chapter). I need a break. You’ll probably find me writing about my garden, surroundings, keeping my houseplants alive, sewing, cooking, running, windsurfing and/or wingfoiling (maybe… if I’m brave) and golf (sorry, but I’m a bit obsessed with the physical and mental challenge of this ridiculous game) in this space.
Find me posting on similar topics in short form:
Professional linking (but only very intermittently):
Images of robots:
Email for research matters (because I am still an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow):
- e.sandry[at]curtin.edu.au
Email for anything else:
- elsan[at]cantab.net
About this site
I had a blog elsewhere for a long time, but with my move away from permanent academic employment I decided to develop a new site for a range of writing (not just about teaching and research work). My research still features here, and I’ll add other areas for anything work-related as and when needed. For now I’ll mostly be posting weeknotes and other writing, while gradually adding material to the Collections area documenting my published research.