Giselle Newton

Dr Giselle Newton (she/her) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Digital Cultures and Societies Hub, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Giselle also holds an appointment as Adjunct Associate Lecturer at the Centre for Social Research in Health at UNSW, Sydney.

Giselle is a social researcher of technology, health and family with a background in sociology, media studies and linguistics. Giselle's research agenda focuses on how developments in digital and bio- technologies facilitate the emergence of new identities, communities and family structures; shifts in knowledge practices and positionings; and changes in power dynamics particularly between laypeople, experts and institutions. Giselle's current projects focus on DNA datascapes and 'dark ads' targeting health consumers on Facebook.

Giselle complete her PhD at the Centre for Social Research in Health at UNSW, Sydney in August 2022. Giselle's PhD study explored how digital technologies such as social media and direct-to-consumer DNA testing have afforded donor-conceived people new opportunities to bond, sleuth, educate and strategise. Giselle’s thesis entitled “Everyday belongings: Exploring Australian donor-conceived adults’ social, linguistic and digital practices across private and public domains” won Dean’s Award for Outstanding PhD Theses in 2022.

As a donor-conceived person herself, Giselle's advocacy is a critical aspect of her work. In 2019, Giselle was an invited delegate to the 30-year anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child at the United Nations with group of donor-conceived advocates. Following this monumental event, delegates devised the International Principles for Donor Conception and Surrogacy, world-first minimum standards in donor conception. At a national and state level, Giselle has contributed to several legislative reviews and inquiries including the Review of the Human Reproductive Technology Act 1991 (WA), Assisted Reproductive Treatment Amendment Bill 2021 (SA), Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform Bill 2021 (AUS) and Inquiry into Matters Relating to Donor Conception Information 2022 (QLD). Giselle is also a member of the inaugural national peak body for donor-conceived people, Donor Conceived Australia.