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CURRICULUM VITAE
Dr Simon Sellars

EDUCATION
2009
PhD in Centre for Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies, Monash University.
• Thesis: ‘“The yes or no of the borderzone”: J.G. Ballard’s Affirmative Dystopias’.

2000
Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing, RMIT University, Melbourne.
• Majors: Editing, Multimedia, Scriptwriting, Non-fiction.

1994
Bachelor of Arts (First-class Honours) in Centre for Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies, Monash University.
• Subject majors: Film and Comparative Literature.
• Thesis: ‘Invasion of the Bodysnatchers: Philip K Dick and Hollywood’.

ACADEMIC AWARDS
2008–09
Monash Postgraduate Publications Award.
2007–08
Monash Departmental Scholarship.
1996–08
Australian Postgraduate Award.

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Teaching
2009
Tutor in English, Communications & Performance Studies, Monash University.
• Subject: ‘Texts and Contexts 1’ (first-year students; ‘This unit uses literary and non-literary, verbal and visual material from different countries and historical periods to introduce students to reading as a critical practice’).
• Subject: ‘Texts and Contexts 2’ (first-year students; ‘This subject will explore further dimensions of the contextual study of literary and other texts, focusing in particular on narrative structures, ideology and intertextuality. These concerns will be pursued through the investigation of a series of related ‘creation’ stories, from Genesis and Frankenstein to Blade Runner and the X-Files.
• Subject: ‘Youth Media’ (second/third-year students; ‘The aim of this course is to use the topic of youth media to synthesize and summarise recent developments in media and cultural studies’).

Lecturer/Tutor, NMIT
• Subject: Publishing and Writing in the Digital Age (second-year students; 'The purpose of this subject is to provide participants with the theoretical grounding required to adequately position themselves as informed producers in the digital realm. By combining both theory and practice, this subject calls on participants to extend their understanding of the material production of ideas in the digital age.')

Research
2009
Research assistant in the Faculty for Arts & Education, Deakin University.

2008–09
Research assistant in the Centre for Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies, Monash University.

ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS
2010
‘Temporary Autonomous Zones: Debord, Ballard, Bey’, Journal for the Study of Radicalism [in progress].

2009
• ‘Stereoscopic Urbanism: J.G. Ballard and the Built Environment’, Architectural Design, September–October 2009 [forthcoming].
• ‘Zones of Transit: Micronationalism in the work of J.G. Ballard’ in From Shanghai to Shepperton (ed Jeannette Baxter), Palgrave, 2009 [forthcoming].
• ‘Extreme Possibilities: J.G. Ballard’s Pacific Fictions’, Colloquy, June 2009 [forthcoming].

2000
‘Freefall in Inner Space: from Crash to Crash Technology' in Speaking Science Fiction: Dialogues and Interpretations (eds Andy Sawyer and David Seed), Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2000.

As co-editor:
2009
Demanding the Impossible (eds Andrew Milner, Matthew Ryan and Simon Sellars), Colloquy special edition, Colloquy no. 18, June 2009 [forthcoming].

2008
Demanding the Impossible: Utopia and Dystopia (eds Andrew Milner, Matthew Ryan and Simon Sellars), Arena Journal New Series, no 31, 2008.

ACADEMIC CONFERENCE PAPERS
2009
• ‘Confronting Ourselves: J.G. Ballard and Circular Time’, abstract accepted for 'Time. Transcendence. Performance.', Monash University, October.
• ‘“Flesh dissolved in acid of light”: The B-film as Second Sight’ at 'B for BAD cinema: aesthetics, politics and cultural value', Monash University, April.

2008
• ‘The Rats that Ate Mill Park’ at 'Futures: CSAA 2008', Curtin University, December.
• ‘“The yes or no of the borderzone”: Resistance in the Work of J.G. Ballard’ at the CCLCS Postgraduate Colloquium, Monash University, November.

2007
• ‘Zones of Transit: J.G. Ballard’s Pacific Fictions’ at 'Demanding the Impossible: The Third Australian Conference on Utopia, Dystopia and Science Fiction', Monash University, December.
• ‘Uncentred Lives: Micronationalism in the work of J.G. Ballard’ at 'From Shanghai to Shepperton: An International Conference on J.G. Ballard', University of East Anglia, United Kingdom, May.

1996
‘Freefall in Inner Space: from Crash to Crash Technology’ at 'Speaking Science Fiction', Liverpool University, June.

1995
‘Freefall in Inner Space: from Ballard to Cyberpunk’, La Trobe University.

ACADEMIC CONFERENCE ORGANISATION
2007
Assisted with conference organisation for 'Demanding the Impossible: The Third Australian Conference on Utopia, Dystopia and Science Fiction', Monash University.

1994
Co-organiser for the conference/workshop 'When Worlds Collide: Science Fiction Meets Theory', Monash University.

RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE (NON-ACADEMIC)
Books:
2006
Co-author of Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Home-made Nations, Lonely Planet Publications.

Selected writing:
2009
• Foreword for Greek translation of J.G. Ballard’s autobiography Miracles of Life [forthcoming].
• 'Tohoku Dreaming', short story based on myths and legends in Japan’s Tohoku region for the Lonely Planet travel literature anthology, Flightless.

2005–current
Numerous articles and posts for the Ballardian website, including interviews with J.G. Ballard, John Foxx and Simon Reynolds.

2004–current
Freelance travel writer for Lonely Planet Publications, authoring around 20 chapters for guidebooks including Japan, South Pacific & Micronesia, East Coast Australia, Australia, Northern Territory, Europe On A Shoestring and Western Europe. Also freelance travel writing for Triporati, Weissman, Dorling Kindersley and Home & Abroad.

2003–current
Freelance reviewer for RealTime magazine, focusing on Australian short film and animation.

2008
• 'Kingston Brio', article on Tasmanian residential architecture for Dwell magazine.
• Supplied catalogue liner notes for 'J.G. Ballard: Autopsy of the New Millennium', an exhibition at the Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona.

2007
'On the Heap', travel article on the micronation of Sealand for The Australian newspaper.

2005
• Interview with poets Allan Martin and Kevin Brophy for The Age newspaper’s Good Weekend magazine (‘The Two of Us’ column).
• Freelance interviews and reviews for The Big Issue and Overland literary journal.

2003
Interviewed Melbourne filmmakers Adam Elliot for The Age newspaper (the long version of this interview was used by Adam's producers, Melodrama, in the press kit for his film Harvie Krumpet) and Matthew Saville for Inside Film magazine (the long version was published in Sleepy Brain magazine)

Editing:
2005–06
Edited, project-managed and conceived Subterrain, a publishing project (two magazine issues and website) documenting the experiences of people using the services at Ozanam Community Centre in North Melbourne. Commissioned writing from the people using the Centre via writing workshops: poetry, fiction, artwork, life histories and perspectives. Also conducted around 30 interviews with other clients, writing up the stories and editing them in consultation with the interviewees. Involved in every aspect of the magazine’s conception: copy editing, commissioning, art direction, website design, publicity.

2005–current
Publisher and editor of Ballardian, a website exploring the career and influence of the writer J.G. Ballard. As editor, I have commissioned and/or conducted interviews with J.G. Ballard, Iain Sinclair, Bruce Sterling, Michael Moorcock, Simon Reynolds, John Foxx and more. Recently, the website was favourably reviewed in The Guardian.

2004–05
Conceived, published and edited Sleepy Brain, a popular online cultural magazine that commissioned articles from various Melbourne writers. The project was selected for permanent archiving by the National Library of Australia’s Pandora archive.

2002–current
Freelance editor for numerous clients including Greenpeace Australia, Lonely Planet Publications, RMIT University, La Trobe University and Blake Education.

1999–2001
Employed by RMIT University’s Marketing & Communications department in a variety of roles aimed at providing artistic opportunities for students. Coordinated a number of RMIT festivals focusing on sound art, animation, short film and scriptwriting. Conceived, edited and designed Deep Space, a publication focusing on the cultural life of RMIT's Bundoora campus (it won a nationwide campus publications award), and revived Jargon, a vintage RMIT magazine from the 1930s and 1940s, updating and relaunching it as an annual magazine for RMIT students.

Film work
2006
Documentary produced by ABC television based on Simon's interviews with poets Allan Martin and Kevin Brophy for The Age newspaper.

2005
Invited to provide feedback on early script drafts and rough cuts of two film productions from Melodrama Pictures.

2000
Appeared as a critic in The What If? Man: The Science Fictional Life of Peter Nicholls, a documentary exploring the life and career of the Australian critic Peter Nicholls. Also worked with the director, Mark Atkin, on preliminary research for the project.

Grants:
2005–2006
Awarded two City of Melbourne Community Arts grant for Subterrain, a two-issue publishing project for Ozanam Community Centre, drawing upon the experiences of homeless people primarily in inner-city Melbourne.

Conference organisation:
2000
Founded Liquid Architecture, a national festival of sound art, while employed as Special Events Officer in RMIT University’s Union Arts department.

Panel/conference participation:
2009
Moderator, ‘Creative & Resourceful Filmmaking’, St Kilda Film Festival.

2008
'Postcards from Inner Space: Simon Sellars, Bruce Sterling and V. Vale' – a discussion on the work of J.G. Ballard at Kosmopolis 08 literary festival, Barcelona, Spain, October 2008.

2005
Coordinated two panels at the St Kilda Writers’ Festival on travel writing and blogging.

2004
Appeared on a panel at the Emerging Writers’ Festival in Melbourne, talking about blogging and online writing.

2001
Appeared on a panel talking about independent publishing at the National Young Writers’ Festival.

REFEREES & REFERENCES
Available on request.