Sarah Hendrica Bickerton

University Lecturer in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand

Sarah Hendrica Bickerton

University Lecturer in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand

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I'm a lecturer in Public Policy and Technology with the Public Policy Institute in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Auckland (UoA), here in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.

I have also been a Research & Policy Lead at an NGO working in digital equity and technology policy. Before that, I was also a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Public Policy Institute at UoA, researching approaches to address systemic gendered effects in public sector budgets.

In 2020 I completed my PhD in Public Policy at Victoria University of Wellington, studying online political participation as part of my wider interest in the intersection of technology and the social & political.

My background is as a Sociologist (tho my first degree was in Astrophysics!), with particular foci on online political & social behaviour, technology policy, gender, and politics, having studied previously at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Canterbury.

I've lectured courses on Public Policy, Politics, Gender, and Sociological Theory, worked as a research assistant, a graduate assistant, and I've been a teaching-assistant/tutor in too many courses to count off the top of my head (I've even worked in financial legislative compliance outside academia!).

Basically, I'm a big nerd. Seriously.

I'm a feminist, introvert, geek, lesbian, politics-junkie, pākehā, Apple-fangirl, urban-space & urban-design addict, car-free, train-loving, espressoholic, who is often out on her (electric!) motorbike just for the joy of the ride.

I have a love for my kindle, mid-century & scandi interior design, local history museums, public transport, comic books, small apartments, neo-impressionist art galleries, not living car-dependent, Wonder Woman & Captain Marvel, wood floors, SFF/UF, quiet icy-cold early mornings with my breath misting, Star Trek, cheeses that don't come in 1kg cubes, anything pickled, craft beer & good red wine, electric motorcycles & EVs, and IKEA. Let me have a nice long transit, tram, or train ride and I kinda turn into a kid again.

I suck at flirting, small-talk, dating, networking, icebreaker-activities (hate!), unstructured social events, and I probably drink way too much coffee. I'm a dork and will most likely find some way to embarrass myself. I've lived in the Netherlands, the United States (Chicago!), and Aotearoa New Zealand.

You can find me on BlueSky, Instagram, Mastodon, or at the other links below.

  • Work
    • University of Auckland
  • Education
    • Victoria University of Wellington
    • University of Illinois at Chicago
    • University of Canterbury