Larissa Sexton-Finck

Dr Larissa Sexton-Finck is an award winning short filmmaker and scholartist - screenwriter/director, digital storyteller, autoethnographer, virtual reality content writer and lecturer - in the disclipine of Media and Communication.

Larissa's teaching spans across almost two decades in the areas of Scriptwriting, Filmmaking, Digital Media and Creative Production at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. She has supervised numerous Honours and Masters students and is also an experienced examiner.

Larissa strongly believes that mainstream stories and representations act as mediating principles in western culture’s visioning of human agency and the Self and (re)organise the identity politics and power structures of society. For this reason, her current research interests include narrative reframing, creative analytical practice (CAP) ethnography and VR storytelling for behavioural change.

Roles & Responsibilities

Deputy Head of School (Education), School of Social Sciences (2022-current)

School Honours Coordinator, School of Social Sciences (2020-2022)

Academic Director, Multimedia Centre FAHSS (2010-2012)

Board, Committee & Panel Roles

• School of Social Sciences’ Board of Studies – Chair
• School of Social Sciences’ Board of Examiners – Chair/Member
• School of Social Sciences’ School Board – Member
• University Learning and Teaching (ULTC) Committee – Member
• Society and Culture Board of Studies – Member
• Review of Unit Coordinator Role Description (ULTC) Working Party – Member
• Review of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) Policy (ULTC) Working Party - Member
• Specialised Bachelor Media and Communication Working Party - Chair
• Specialised Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability Working Party - Member
• University Cohort Monitoring Steering Group - Member
• Selection Committee School of Social Sciences' Excellence in Teaching Awards - Chair
• Selection Committee University Excellence in Teaching Awards – Invited Member

Grants, Awards & Nominations

• Senior Fellowship SFHEA - Academy Fellowship Scheme of the Higher Education Academy (2023)
• Social Sciences Teaching Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning, Team Award, Media and Communication Discipline, nominee (2021)
• Social Sciences Teaching Excellence Award for Programs that Enhance Learning, Team Award, Media and Communication Discipline, nominee (2021)
• FABLE Faculty Teaching Award for Teaching Excellence, nominee (2020)
• FAHSS Faculty Teaching Award for Teaching Excellence, Team Teaching - Academic Director of the Multimedia Centre, Award Recipient (2012)
• FAHSS Faculty Service Award for Outstanding Service to Student Learning - Academic Director of the Multimedia Centre, nominee (2012)
• FAHSS Faculty Teaching Service Award in the area of Teaching Excellence, University of Western Australia - Academic Director of the Multimedia Centre, nominee (2011)
• Australian Teachers of Media Awards (ATOM), Melbourne, Best Tertiary Production, One Split Second, 10 min Drama, co-producer/script editor, nominee (2012)
• Australian Teachers of Media Awards (ATOM), Melbourne, Best Tertiary Production, Bigger than My Boots, 10 min Documentary, co-producer/script editor, nominee (2011)
• Western Australian Screen Awards, Best Screenplay, Bigger than My Boots, 10 min Documentary, co-producer/script editor, nominee (2010)
• National Australia Bank Schools First Grant Award $100,000, Team Award Recipient (Redcliffe Primary School) Writer/Director: Digital Story for application (2009)
• Screenwest New Screenwriters Grant Recipient ($5,000) Feature Film Script, Float (2005)
• Independent Spirit Award at the Lexus Independent Film (IF) Awards Sydney, finalist (2003)
• Young Filmmaker of the Year - Western Australian Screen Awards, nominee (2002)
• National Student Film & Video Festival, Sydney, Best Production, writer/director, finalist (2002)

UWA Teaching Overview

Undergraduate Unit Coordination:

• COMM1901: Communication in Practice
• COMM1002: Cultures, New Media and Communications
• COMM2002: Digital Media  
• COMM3002: Media Production Project
• SOCS4101: Advanced Theory in Social Sciences
• SOCS4140: Honours Dissertation 1
• SOCS4141: Honours Dissertation 2

Transnational Coordination: Hong Kong/Singapore

• COMM2002: Digital Media
• COMM3002: Media Production Project

Postgraduate Unit Coordination: 

• COMM4106: iGeneration
• COMM5104: Public Communication
• COMM5701: Strategic Communications in a Digital Era
• COMM5702: Digital Media: Theory and Creative Practice