Dr Susan O'Donnell

Susan O'DonnellAdjunct Professor
PhD (Dublin City University), MA (Cardiff University), BA (University of Ottawa)

Susan is a senior research officer at the National Research Council (NRC) Institute of Information Technology on the UNB campus. Her research area is digital communications. Her current research focus is the use of ICT in remote, rural and Aboriginal communities; by community-based organizations; and by health organizations and for health care. She has also conducted research on the electronic public sphere and democratic citizen and social movements in the information society. Susan's role at UNB is to co-supervise graduate students and participate on supervisory committees. In addition, through her work at NRC, she trains UNB graduate students to conduct research and publish research results. Since 2006, Susan has been principal investigator on a series of SSHRC grants for the VideoCom project in partnership with First Nations organizations.

Personal website

Selected publications

  • Gratton, M-F., O’Donnell, S. (2010, in press) Communication Technologies for Focus Groups with Remote Communities: A Case Study of Research with First Nations in Canada. Qualitative Research.
  • O’Donnell, S., Walmark, B., Hancock, B-R. (2010) Videoconferencing in Remote and Rural First Nations Communities, in White, J., Peters, J., Beavon, D., Dinsdale, P. (eds) Aboriginal Policy Research Volume 6: Learning, Technology, and Traditions. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing, 128-139.
  • O'Donnell, S., Molyneaux, H., Gibson, K. (2010) A Framework for Analyzing Social Interaction using Broadband Visual Communication Technologies, in Dumova T., Fiordo, R. (eds) Handbook of Research on Social Interaction Technologies and Collaboration Software: Concepts and Trends. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 528-541.
  • O'Donnell, S., Perley, S., Walmark, B., Burton, K., Beaton, B., Sark, A. (2009) Community-based broadband organizations and video communications in remote and rural First Nations in Canada. In Stillman, L., Johanson, G., and French, R (eds) Communities in Action. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 107-119.
  • O’Donnell, S., Perley, S., Simms, D., and Hancock, B-R. (2009) Video Communication Roadblocks Facing Remote Indigenous Communities. IEEE Technology & Society Magazine, 28 (2), Summer,16-22.
  • Simms, D. C., O’Donnell, S., Molyneaux, H. (2009) The use of Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 5622, 615-624.
  • Molyneaux, H., O’Donnell, S., Gibson, K., Singer, J. (2008) Exploring the Gender Divide on YouTube: An Analysis of the Creation and Reception of Vlogs. American Communication Journal, 10(1) Spring (open access online journal).
  • Gibson, K, O'Donnell, S, Rideout, V. (2007) The Project Funding Regime: Complications for Community Organizations and their Staff. Canadian Public Administration Journal, 50(3), 411-436.
  • O'Donnell, S. (2005) IT Education and Training for Disadvantaged Students: Lessons from Europe. IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, 24(3), 23-31.
  • O’Donnell, S. (2003) Civil Society Organisations and an Inclusive Information Society in Europe, in Cammaerts, B., et al., (eds) Beyond the Digital Divide: Reducing Exclusion, Fostering Inclusion. Brussels: VUB Brussels University Press, 127-142.
  • O’Donnell, S. (2001) Analysing the Internet and the Public Sphere: The Case of Womenslink. Javnost, 8(1), 39-58.
  • Trench, B. and O'Donnell, S. (1997) The Internet and Democratic Participation: Uses of ICTs by Voluntary and Community Organisations in Ireland. The Economic and Social Review, 28(3), 213-235.
  • O'Donnell, S. and Delgado, G. (1995) Using the Internet to Strengthen the Indigenous Nations of the Americas, Media Development 1995/3, 36-38


Contact information:

Dr Susan O’Donnell

Office: NRC Building, 46 Dineen Drive
Phone: 506-444-0374
Fax: 506-444-6114