At UT Austin, Ash earned a PhD in Cognitive Psychology and a PhD in Media Studies. Their research takes a critical approach to the increasingly diverse and evolving nature of screen cultures and investigates how cultural producers work within and shape the media industry landscape. They recently authored chapters on the negotiation between cultural visibility and preservation of drag ball identities in "RuPaul’s Drag Race" and on the queer reworking of the romantic comedy genre in the television rom-sitcom "Take My Wife.” Ash’s media studies dissertation investigated the role of media imagery in resistance and survival within contemporary performance art and nightlife subcultures. As part of this project, they built a digital archive of experience, performance, and cultural memory of queer and transgender communities. Their research interests include screen cultures and industries, maker communities, and sub-cultural media practices.
