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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.
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