Virginia Madsen is an experienced research and teaching academic, leading the radio strand for the Media, Music, Communication and Cultural Studies Dept (MMCCS) at Macquarie University. She is also an established radio producer and writer whose many works have been broadcast by the major public service media institutions in Europe, USA and Australia. She worked for many years on staff and as an independent producer for the ABC's national radio networks, RN and ABC Classic FM before taking up a Vice Chancellor's research fellowship at the University of NSW, Sydney, and then a research/teaching position at Macquarie University. Madsen has also created sound designs for theatre, television and museum contexts. Current research projects include leading the 2014 ARC funded Discovery project: "Cultural Conversations: A History of ABC Radio National". Madsen is also completing a book charting the international documentary tradition and imagination in radio. Madsen chairs the Management Committee of the Centre for Media History (CMH), Macquarie University and is a member of its Advisory Board: http://mq.edu.au/research/centres_and_groups/cmh/people/