Curriculum Vitae
I am currently working on my doctoral thesis on “Explainer animations" at the University of Tübingen, Germany. Until recently, I was working as a media scholar at the university’s Centre for Media Competence (ZFM). I developed 5 explainer animations based on research outcomes of this interdisciplinary project titled “BGM vital”, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The project’s main focus is towards improving online Occupational Health Management (OHM) services by integrating diversity-sensitive communication. When my mind is not deep in research, I make animated videos and illustrations for other organizations as a freelancer.
Research Interests: Explainer animation, educational animation, development communication, health literacy, social awareness, and digital activism.
Education
2018-Present
University of Tuebingen, Germany
PhD candidate at the Institute of Media Studies
2009-2010
Brunel University, UK
MSc in Media and Communication
2002-2006
North South University, Bangladesh
Bachelor of Business Administration. Majors: Marketing and Human Resource Management
Graduated with honors (Cum Laude)
Publications
Alam, N. (2021). Positive Geschlechterrollenbilder in UNICEFs M eena Cartoons. In In Wirklichkeit Animation... (pp. 87-106). Springer VS, Wiesbaden.
Alam, N. (2021). Narrative Strategies for Animated Development Communication: Examples From BRAC in Bangladesh. In Global Perspectives on NGO Communication for Social Change (pp. 90-105). Routledge.
Conference Presentations
2019 Jun. 19
“How visuals bring us together when language separates us”. Animation is a Place – The 31st Conference of the Society for Animation Studies, Lisbon.
2019 Apr. 30
“Animated stories that bring about cultural change: Exploring Women’s Empowerment”. Changing Bangladesh– Annual Conference of Bangladesh Studies Network, Oslo.
2018 Nov. 26
“Portraying Empowerment in Women's and Childrens’ Rights Animations”. In Wirklichkeit Animation..., St. Pölten.
2018 Oct. 26
“Explainer Videos in Health Education: Messages, Metaphors, and Visual Storytelling.” Written with Dr. Erwin Feyersinger. Visuelles Wissen in Schule und Wissenschaft. Show oder Chance?, Berlin.
2018 Jun. 28
“Explaining Why You Should Join the Cause: The Development Organization Story” at European Network for Cinema and Media Studies (NECS) 2018 Conference, Amsterdam.
2018 Jun. 21
“The Birds and the Bees: Animated Storytelling in Health Education in the Past, Present, and Future” paper co-authored with Erwin Feyersinger. Then I Now I Next – The 30th Annual Society for Animation Studies Conference, Montreal. Could not attend conference personally.
2018 Jun. 05
“Meena, a Girl from My Village: 20 Years of Animated Social Change in South Asia”. ANIMAFEST SCANNER V, Zagreb.
2018 Apr. 12
“Striking The Right Chords: A Multimodal Analysis Of NGO Animations for Women and Children’s Rights.” First Animation Research Colloquium at the University of Tuebingen.
2016 Nov. 29
“From Facebook Walls to Street Walls- Getting Youth Involved in Social Change”. First National Conference on Mass Communication Journalism, Dhaka.
2016 Apr. 27
“So Relatable: Comic Medium as a Portrayal of the Social Realities of Bangladesh”. Narrative Structures and Visual Storytelling” Symposium at StuttGart International Festival or Animated Films (ITFS), Stuttgart.
Guest Lectures
2022 Jan. 10
“Narrative Strategies for Animated Development Communication – Examples from BRAC in Bangladesh”. At MA seminar titled "NGO communication", University of Tuebingen (Online).
2021 Aug 13
“Narrative Strategies for Animated Development Communication – Examples from BRAC in Bangladesh”. Symposium: Social Impact of Audiovisual Media, University of Potsdam (Online).
2021 Apr. 15
"Steps to Creating Explainer Animation" in seminar titled "Veranstaltung Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation und Normen, Gewohnheiten, Reaktanz" at University of Zurich (Online).
2019 Jan.18
“The Persuasive Function of Animated Graphics in Argumentative YouTube Videos.” Political Anima[l]s – Animation, Politics & Digital Media, University of Potsdam.
Academic Employment
2018 Dec – 2022 Jan
Media Scholar, BGM vital, Center for Media Competence (ZFM), Institute of Media Studies, University of Tübingen.
2018 Feb. –2020 Jun
Animation Instructor, Center for Media Competence (ZFM), Institute of Media Studies, University of Tübingen.
2018 Feb. – 2019 Apr.
Sub-editor and coordinator of Colour Turn Interdisciplinary Journal, University of Tübingen.
2013 May – 2017 Aug.
Lecturer, Department of Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ), University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh.
Courses
University of Tuebingen
Bachelors
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Lehrredaktion Film und Fernsehen: "Explainer videos from scientific texts"
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Lehrredaktion Digital Content Development: "Changing Narratives of Diversity, Migration, and Displacement"
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Lehrredaktion Film und Fernsehen: "Understanding and Creating Explainer Animations"
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB)
Bachelors
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Principles of Public Relations
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Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication
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Media Relations
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Introduction to Animation
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Introduction to Photography
Masters
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Integrated Marketing and Communication
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Quality Management in Public Relations