Lisa Portolan Phd Thesis Podcast Film Event Best Jun 2026
how dating apps have changed the ways we find love and intimacy . Key concepts from her work include: "Jagged Love":
The pressure to curate relationships for social media validation.
: She has appeared on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to discuss the "shocking truth" about dating apps and their psychological impact. Film & Media Events
Translating her academic findings into a narrative format, Dr. Portolan co-created the Slow Love podcast alongside filmmaker . lisa portolan phd thesis podcast film event best
Ultimately, the success of these podcasts, films, and events proves that when deep research meets creative execution, it can shift how society thinks, feels, and connects.
A term she coined to describe the cyclical, often frustrating relationship users have with dating apps, characterized by a gap between the desire for traditional romantic "master plots" and the app's inability to deliver them. Digital Intimacy:
As an author, researcher, and Managing Director at Horizon Communication Group, Dr. Portolan has dedicated her career to analyzing how algorithms reshape human connection. Her landmark research at Western Sydney University exposes the sharp contrast between old-school romance and the grueling reality of modern dating apps. how dating apps have changed the ways we
To appreciate the rest of the ecosystem, you must first understand the sun around which these planets orbit. focused on intimacy, affect, and identity in the digital sphere. Specifically, she examined how individuals perform and experience connection when the physical body is removed from the equation.
At the heart of Dr. Portolan’s work is her landmark PhD thesis, completed at Western Sydney University and published in 2024. Her research investigates how algorithmic interfaces reshape human vulnerability, intimacy, and courtship rituals.
(2022), which synthesises her research into a scholarly yet accessible format. Screenwriting: Film & Media Events Translating her academic findings
She has been invited to film festivals (e.g., Sydney Film Festival, Melbourne Documentary Film Festival) as a panelist for films with themes of digital connection, such as “The Social Dilemma” or “Love in the Time of Algorithms.”
Look for her on Australian national radio (ABC) and independent lifestyle podcasts where she provides data-backed commentary on modern relationship trends. Film and Visual Media Projects
Dr. Lisa Portolan’s academic foundation focuses deeply on sociology, gender, intimacy, and the cultural shifts driven by technology. While many doctoral candidates write purely for peer-reviewed journals, Portolan approached her PhD thesis with a broader vision. She sought to understand how everyday people navigate love, loneliness, and connection in the digital age.