Ben Lyall
Details
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Department: School - Media & Communication
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Campus: City Campus Australia
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ben.lyall@rmit.edu.au
Open to
- Collaborative projects
- Media enquiries
- Join a web conference as a panellist or speaker
About
I am a digital sociologist interested in how devices and apps are embedded in everyday life. I ask critical questions about our interactions with digital media, and the corporate and institutional interests served by these interactions. I also take these concerns into my teaching. From 2025, I am teaching digital communication courses where I focus on giving undergraduates critical and practical tools to communicate in unstable digital environments.
My background is in self-tracking technologies (Fitbits and similar devices): the history and use of which were the focus of my PhD (awarded 2020, Monash University). Since then, I have worked with young people and government departments to untangle practices (some digital) of engaging with public services, and have expanded this into a wider interest in youth civic engagement. I have also examined how digital technologies and automation have impacted the construction industry, and explored digital communities related to digital health (reddit groups, e-pharmacy).
I will be available as an Associate Supervisor for higher degree by research projects in late 2025.
Prior to my appointment at RMIT worked at Monash University (2017-2024), where I also completed my PhD (Sociology) in 2020. My undergraduate and honours studies (2012-2015) were undertaken at the University of Tasmania.
Research fields
- 440701 Communications and media policy
- 4410 Sociology
- 441001 Applied sociology, program evaluation and social impact assessment
- 4701 Communication and media studies
- 420302 Digital health
- 470102 Communication technology and digital media studies
UN sustainable development goals
- 3 Good Health and Well Being
- 4 Quality Education
Academic positions
- Lecturer, Digital Communication
- RMIT University
- Melbourne, Australia
- 13 Jan 2025 – Present
- Lecturer, Digital Media
- Monash University
- Media, Film and Journalism
- Melbourne, Australia
- 1 Feb 2023 – 1 Feb 2024
- Research Fellow
- Monash University
- Emerging Technologies Research Lab
- Melbourne, Australia
- Jul 2021 – Feb 2023
- Researcher
- Monash University
- School of Social Sciences
- Melbourne, Australia
- 3 Jul 2017 – 12 Jan 2025
- Research Assistant
- University of Tasmania
- Tasmanian School of Buniness and Economics
- Hobart, Australia
- Jan 2016 – Jul 2018
- Teaching Associate
- University of Tasmania
- School of Social Sciences
- Launceston, Australia
- 1 Jul 2015 – Nov 2017
Teaching interests
I have 10+ years experience teaching in communication and media studies (undergraduate and graduate levels) and social sciences (undergraduate).
Currently, I am teaching Bachelor of Professional Communication courses - Introduction to Digital Communication (COMM2906) - across RMIT Melbourne and Singapore Institute of Management.
Research interests
My background is in self-tracking technologies (Fitbits and similar devices): the history and use of which were the focus of my PhD (awarded 2020, Monash University). Since then, I have worked with young people and government departments to untangle practices (some digital) of engaging with public services, and have expanded this into a wider interest in youth civic engagement. I have also examined how digital technologies and automation have impacted the construction industry, and explored digital communities related to digital health (reddit groups, e-pharmacy).
