Penelope Thomas

Penelope Thomas is the Project Manager of Applied Industry Research at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), where she leads groundbreaking research at the intersection of creativity, technology, and audience engagement. She first joined the School’s research efforts with the acclaimed VR Noir project, which premiered at VIVID Ideas in 2016 and marked the beginning of her ongoing commitment to innovative storytelling.

Her current portfolio includes an impressive range of initiatives, including Biometrics on Audience Engagement, Creative Augmented Reality, the AFTRS/CSIRO Data61 Media Index, industry-partnered software development, and Precipice: a binaural narrative podcast project in collaboration with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, WNYC (New York Public Radio) and BBC’s Audio Science Research Unit, which debuted at Vivid 2017.

Penelope is passionate about forming inclusive, cross-disciplinary teams that span local, national, and international networks to explore how emerging technologies can enrich communication, creativity, and the arts. Her leadership style fosters open collaboration and drives innovation across media and research sectors.

Academically, Penelope holds a BA in English Literature and Theatre Studies, a Graduate Diploma in Education, a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics, and is currently completing her MA (Research) at The University of Sydney. She has also studied Leading and Managing Research at the University of Melbourne, and is actively presenting her framework for achieving collaborative innovation across the arts and sciences.