Dr. Jessica Thompson

Biography

Jessica Thompson is an Associate Professor in Hybrid Media and the Director of the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business at the University of Waterloo. Her artistic research focuses on how sound can uncover the spatial and social conditions in cities and explores innovative ways to utilize urban data to foster new modes of citizen engagement. With a career in making interactive artworks that began in 2003, her projects have been featured in numerous exhibitions and festivals, including the International Symposium on Electronic Art in locations such as San Jose, Dubai, and Vancouver, as well as the Conflux Festival in New York. Her contributions to the field have been recognized through grants from the Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Before joining the Stratford School in 2013, Thompson held various administrative and managerial roles within the corporate and not-for-profit sectors, focusing on academic administration, marketing, and project management. Additionally, she has been actively involved in equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives at the University of Waterloo, including founding membership in the Black Faculty Collective and participation in the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism Office's Sankofa Think Tank.

Research Interests