Kristofer Lional Nolan Portrait

Dr Kris Nolan

STF - CCI - FMCT

Kris.Nolan@port.ac.uk

Biography

Having studied for an MA in International Relations at the University of Portsmouth, I gained experience working in the Faculty of Technology for several years. My work focused on empowering, teaching, and guiding students. 

My PhD research explores the evolution of student activism through digitised student press. Thematically, the research explores the evolution of activist communications and methodologies across a fifty-year period. Alongside this, I have gained experience in the following areas:

  • Teaching Fellow
  • Learning Development Tutor
  • Research & Insights Assistant / Coordinator / Specialist
  • PGR Student Representative
  • Student Representative on the Graduate School's Management Board
  • CEISR Events Coordinator
  • Co-Founder / President of the PGR Society

Research interests

  • Student lived experiences, in particular the extent to which technology has affected Higher Education. This is in particular reference to social media and the ways in which the student experience has evolved. 
  • History of student activism, in particular the extent to which the past can be used as an explanation / research focus for contemporary activism. Can historical activism be compared / contrasted to modern activism? Have methodologies of 1970s activists changed to 2010s activists? These are questions I am interested in answering. 
  • Digital Humanities, in particular the applicability of digital techniques to Humanities data. Here, utilising Humanities & Social Sciences techniques and methodologies with a digital twist is a priority.
  • Employability, in particular the evolving landscape for Humanities & Social Sciences graduates and the extent to which students can adapt and be competitive and creative in the employability market. 
  • Political participation, especially amongst young people and the influence of technology and social media on this. In particular, the extent to which young people experience and live politics and political participation differently in the post-2000 world, with a specific interest in political apathy vs political alienation of young people. 
  • The impact of interdisciplinary research and the ability of combining disciplines methodologically to answer questions and challenges in different ways.