Inaugural Newsletter • December 2025
Hello SIGNAL network members,
We would like to share our very first SIGNAL Newsletter. We are piloting this as a way of keeping everyone updated on what's happening within the network, future events and publications.
For one, the leadership has grown to include four directors. We are delighted to have Nick Ruest (York University) and Jada Watson (University of Ottawa) join Shana Macdonald and Brianna Wiens to help steer the network into this next phase of action.
The Director team have been busy at work on the first stage of a SSHRC Partnership Grant which if successful will help support network activities for over seven years. This means we can keep running reading groups, speaker's series, public and academic events, and help mentor the graduate students and emerging scholars in the network.
See a project description for the grant here: SIGNAL Project Description
Through this process it seems that everyday we are connecting with new scholars across the country and globe all dedicated to confronting toxic media ecologies and the network is becoming for some a landing place to connect with like minded scholars and activists.
We'd like to warmly welcome the following new SIGNAL members! 🎉
In other exciting news we are undergoing a rebrand! We are getting a new website and logo! Stay tuned for Winter 2026 for our launch.
While that is under construction, please use our FTT linktree or @aesthetic.resistance on Instagram to stay up to date on our future events!
Join us for a hybrid talk given by new network member Dr. Heather Woods titled "Imperfect, Seeking Perfection: On Time, Collaboration, and New AI Imagination"
SIGN UP HEREJoin us in early 2026 for more of our popular hybrid reading groups. You are welcome to read the book or review suggested media links (provided with the event brite sign up) and hop in on a lunch hour call (or in person) to discuss. Last Friday of the month from 12-1:30pm
Laura Bates - "The New Age of Sexism: How AI and Emerging Technologies Are Reinventing Misogyny"
Sign Up HereSee link below for media links (podcasts, interviews with authors) on the books above!
SIGNAL RG 2026 Book Summaries
There will be hybrid plenary lectures on each day, research panels, and data workshops.
Stay tuned - more info coming in January.
*If you want to attend from out of town let us know and we can share info on traveling to Waterloo.
As we build our website we thought it would be great to share recent published work or upcoming events from network members that can be shared as well in future SIGNAL Newsletters! If you're interested in sharing all the exciting research you've been publishing, please fill out this form as many times as you like. Don't be shy!!
Submit Your WorkWishing you a happy and restful second half of December if it is available to you. May there be quiet and cozy moments to settle into.
All our best,
Shana, Bri, Nick, and Jada