Brief Introduction Top

Sun Sun LIM holds a PhD and an MSc (Distinction) in Media and Communications from the London School of Economics, for which she was awarded the Raffles Rothschilds Chevening Scholarship. A Singaporean, she graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1995 with an Honours Degree in Political Science. She has been an Assistant Professor at the Communications and New Media Programme since March 2003.

She studies the social implications of technology domestication by young people and families, charting their media ethnographies. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Asia including in China, Japan, Singapore and South Korea. She has articles published and forthcoming in the Journal of Computer Mediated Communication, New Media & Society, Communications of the ACM, East Asian Science, Technology and Society and Science, Technology and Society. She is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research.

She teaches various undergraduate and postgraduate courses including Communications, New Media and Society, Social Psychology of New Media and New Media in Emerging Asian Economies. She has won multiple awards for excellent teaching at both university and faculty level. She is also the Graduate Programme Coordinator and the CNM-Business Double Degree Programme Coordinator. 

She serves actively in public bodies where her research helps to inform policy formulation and public education initiatives. From 2005-2007, she was a member of the National Internet Advisory Committee which advised the Media Development Authority (MDA) on issues relating to new media. She is currently a member of the Internet and Media Advisory Committee which advises the MDA on issues relating to new media literacy and regulation. She is also a member of the MDA’s Interactive and Digital Media Experts Group which assesses start-up projects for seed funding. She also sits on the National Committee on Youth Guidance and Rehabilitation which advises the National Youth Council and the Ministry for Community, Youths and Sports on issues relating to problem youths. She was also a Working Group Member of the Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media on Society (AIMS).

Teaching Areas Top

Social Psychology of New Media

New Media in Emerging Asian Economies

Research in Information and Communications

Current Research Top

Domestication of ICTs by middle-class families in South Korea, ASEAN Universities Network-Korean Association of Southeast Asian Studies grant, $12,000

Domestication of ICTs by middle-class families in China, NUS grant, $10,000

New media piracy and perceptions of intellectual property, IP Academy grant, $100,000 (with Assoc Prof Alan Khee Jin Tan )

A multi-national study of consumers' online privacy perceptions, NUS grant, $80,000 (with Dr Milagros Rivera and Dr Hichang Cho)

Research Interests Top

New media and family communication in Asia

New media literacy

Public perceptions of new technology

Social impact of new media and technology

Publications Top

JOURNAL ARTICLES

• Lim, S. S. (2009). Home, School, Borrowed, Public or Mobile: Variations in Young Singaporeans’ Internet Access. Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. 14(4): Forthcoming. 

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S., Cho, H. and Rivera, M. (2009) Online Privacy, Government Surveillance and National ID Cards - Exploring their relationship. Communications of the ACM. Forthcoming

  
   
  
• Cho, H., Rivera, M. and Lim, S. S. (2009) Consumers’ Online Privacy Concerns, New Media and Society, 11 (3): 409-431.
   
  

• Lim, S. S. & Nekmat, E. (2008) Learning through Prosuming: Insights from Media Literacy Programmes in Asia. Science, Technology and Society. 13(2): 259-278.

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2008) Technology domestication in the Asian homestead: Comparing the experiences of middle class families in China and South Korea. East Asian Science, Technology and Society. 2(2): 1875-2160.

  
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2005) A Contextualised Understanding of Youth, Media and the Asian Family, Journal of Development Communication, 20-28.
   
  
• Lim, S. S. and Tan, Y. L. (2004) Parental Control of New Media Usage – The Challenges of Infocomm Illiteracy, Australian Journal of Communication, 31(1): 57-74.
   
  

• Lim, S. S. and Chung, L. Y. (2004) The Dance of Life (Digital Remix) – The Impact of Mobile Communication on Time Use, Media Asia, 31(1): 37-43

  
   
  

• Rivera, M., Cho, H. and Lim, S. S. (2004) Consumers’ Online Privacy Concerns, World Internet Law Report, 5(4): 29-32

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S. and Tan, Y. L. (2003) Old People And New Media In Wired Societies: Exploring The Socio-Digital Divide In Singapore, Media Asia, 30(2) : 95 – 102

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2002) The experiential dimensions of online shopping: An ethnographic analysis of online store websites, Asian Journal of Communication, 12 (2): 79-99 

  
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2002) The Self-Confrontation Interview: Enhancing our Understanding of Human Factors in Web-based Interaction, Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, August: 162-173
   
  

BOOKS/MONOGRAPHS AUTHORED

• Lim, S. S. (2006) Illegal Downloading and Pirated Media in Singapore: Consumer Awareness, Motivations and Attitudes. Singapore: IP Academy.
   
  

EDITORIAL WORK ON BOOKS

• Lim, S. S., Sison, R. & Kim, D. Y.  (Eds.) (2008) The Promise of ICTs in Asia: Key Trends and Issues. Seoul: Jimoondang.
   
  

CHAPTERS IN BOOKS

• Lim, S. S. (2009) ‘Your phone makes you, you’: Exploring the youth script in teen magazine representations of mobile media. In S. H. Donald, T. Anderson & D. Spry (Ed.) Youth, Society and Mobile Media in Asia. London: Routledge. Forthcoming.

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S., Nekmat, E. & Nahar, S. N. (2009). The implications of multimodality for media literacy. In K. O’Halloran (Ed.) Multimodal Representation, Knowledge and Technology. Routledge Studies in Multimodality Book Series. London: Routledge. Forthcoming.

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S. & Nekmat, E. (2008) Media Education in Singapore – New Media, New Literacies? In C. K. Cheung (Ed.) Media Education in Asia,Netherlands: Springer. Forthcoming.

  
   
  
• Lim, S. S., Sison, R. And Kim, D. Y. (2008) ICT adoption in Asia – Experiences and Insights. In S. S. Lim, R. Sison & D.Y. Kim (Eds.) The Promise of ICTs in Asia: Key Trends and Issues, Seoul: Jimoondang. 1-16.
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2008) Youth and New Media – Exploring, Consuming, Producing. In S. S. Lim, R. Sison & D.Y. Kim (Eds.) The Promise of ICTs in Asia: Key Trends and Issues, Seoul: Jimoondang. 93-108.
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2007) New media and the Singaporean: Rediscovering the lost art of media literacy. In Singapore Perspectives 2007: A New Singapore, Institute of Policy Studies and Marshall Cavendish Academic, Singapore. 79-92.
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2006). From cultural to information revolution: ICT domestication by middle-class families in urban China. In M. Hartmann, T. Berker , Y. Punie & K. Ward (Eds.), Domestication of Media and Technology. Maidenhead: Open University Press. 185-204.

  
   
  
• Chung, L. Y. and Lim, S. S. (2005) From Monochronic to Mobilechronic – Temporality in the Era of Mobile Communication. In K. Nyiri (Ed.) A Sense of Place: The Global and the Local in Mobile Communication. Vienna: Passagen Verlag. 267-282
   
  

CONFERENCE PAPERS (PEER REVIEWED)

• Lim, S. S. (2009, October) Marketing Mobile Media to Teens in Singapore – Uncovering the ‘Youth Script’. Internet: Critical: 10th Association of Internet Researchers Conference . Milwaukee. 7-11 October.
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2009, May) Young People and the Digital Divide – An ethnographic study of media-have-less youths. Keywords in Communication: 2009 Annual Conference of the International Communication Association . Chicago. 21-25 May.

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2008, December) ‘Must-have makeup, fashion and gizmos: Teen magazine representations of girls’ technology use. First International Conference on Popular Culture and Education in Asia. Hong Kong. 11-13 December.

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S. and Nekmat, E. (2008, July) The Implications of Multimodal Representation for Media Literacy. Fourth International Conference on Multimodality. Singapore. 30 July – 1 August.

  
   
  

• Nekmat, E. and Lim, S. S. (2008, July) New Media And Youth: The Motivations And Gratifications Of Online Betting Amongst Youths. 17th Asian Media Information & Communication Centre Annual Conference on Changing Media, Changing Societies: Media and the Millennium Development Goals. Manila. 14-17 July

  
   
  

• Nekmat, E. and Lim, S. S. (2008, June) Youth and Online Gambling: Uncovering the propensity for addiction through understanding the motivations and gratifications of online betting. International Research Development Centre Workshop on Internet Addiction Research in Asia. Manila. 16-17 June.

  
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2008, May) On Avatars, Buddy Buddy And CyWorld – New Media in Korean Youths’ Everyday Lives. Communicating for Social Impact: 2008 Annual Conference of the International Communication Association . Montreal. 22-26 May.
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2008, February) Living in a new media world: Comparing media-use diaries of the media-haves and media have-less in Singapore. Exploring New Media Worlds: Changing Technologies, Industries, Cultures, and Audiences in Global and Historical Context . Texas. 29 February – 2 March.

  
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2007, October) Containing the Internet’s spillover effects in the Asian home: Perspectives from China, South Korea and Singapore. Let’s Play!: 8th Association of Internet Researchers Conference . Vancouver. 17-20 October.
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2007, August) Comparing technology domestication by middle-class families in China and South Korea. East Asian Science, Technology and Society Network Workshop on Technology Family and Gender. Taiwan. 6-8 August.
   
  

• Lim, S. S., Cho, H. and Rivera, M. (2007, April ) Exploring the Relationship of Online Privacy, Government Surveillance and National ID Cards: A Multi-country Study. 52^nd Annual Broadcast Education Association Convention on Media 101: Creating the Future by Understanding the Past. Las Vegas. 18-21 April. Second Place Award, International Paper Division

  
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2007, January) Youth and New Media - Exploring, Consuming, Producing, Information Revolution and Cultural Integration in East Asia: ASEAN-ROK Academic Conference, Ho Chi Minh City. 24-26 January
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2006, July) One child, two parents and a host of technologies - A study of urban China’s media-rich households, China's Internet and Chinese Cultures: The Fourth Annual Chinese Internet Research Conference 2006, Singapore. 21-22 July
  
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2006, July) Children, technology and media domestication in Singapore, China and South Korea, Asia-Pacific Childhoods Conference ‘An ethnography of childhood’, Singapore. 17-20 July
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2004, December) Family Communication in Urban China: ICT Domestication by Middle-Class Families in Beijing and Shanghai, Paths of Urban Change: Social and Spatial Perspectives, Singapore, 9-11 December
  
   
  

•  Lim, S. S. (2004, July) Youth, Media and the Asian Family: Contextualising our Understanding, Understanding our Context, 13th Asian Media Information & Communication Centre Annual Conference on ICT & Media Inputs & Development Outcomes - Impact of New & Old Media on Development in Asia, Bangkok, Thailand

  
   
  

• Chung, L.-Y. and Lim, S. S. (2004, June) From Monochronic to Mobilechronic – Temporality in the Era of Mobile Communication, The Global and the Local in Mobile Communication Conference, Budapest, Hungary

  
   
  

• Rivera, M., Cho, H. and Lim, S. S. (2004, February) Online Privacy: Consumers’ Concerns and Policy Implications for E-commerce, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation E-commerce Steering Committee Meeting, Santiago, Chile

  
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2002, October) The role of the media in shaping public debate on science and technology, Southeast Asian Francophone Seminar “Science and Technology: Issues for the Society” Conference, Singapore
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2001, November) Internet Shopping Behaviour – A Social Psychological Insight, British Psychological Society’s “Psychology and the Internet: A European Perspective” Conference, Farnborough, United Kingdom

  
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2000, March) Understanding the Online Consumer. Efficient Consumer Response Europe Conference Proceedings. Turin, Italy. Gold Award Paper
   
  

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

• Lim, S. S. (2008, September) Youths, Media and Entertainment – On Risks, Rewards and Resignation. 2008 KAIST Information-Media Global Forum: Entertainment meets Technology! Seoul, 26 Sep.

  
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2007) Young and New Media: At risk, source of risk or let’s manage the risk?. Singapore Police Force Resilience Building Seminar. Singapore, 1 Aug.
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2007) Singapore’s New Media Landscape–Trends and Issues. Ministry of Home Affairs Hometeam Academy Workshop for Senior Officers. Singapore, 3 May.
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2007) New media, New Literacies: Making the Most of Prosumption. Singapore Press Holdings Foundation and English Language and Literature Teachers’ Association Multiliteracies: Connecting with the Language Classroom Conference. Singapore, 28 May.
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2007, February) It Takes a Village: Reassessing, Information Revolution and Cultural Integration in East Asia: ASEAN-ROK Academic Conference, Kuala Lumpur. 6-8 February

  
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2006) Of racist blogs and Tammy videoes - Vesting our wired teens with critical literacy. Ministry of Education ExCel Fest 2006. Singapore. Keynote speaker, 8 July.
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2006) The Singaporean Youth’s Media Landscape – Today’s Pressing Issues. National Youth Council Workshop for Youth Workers. Singapore, 11 July.
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2005, October) Of technology, guanxi and upward mobility - Media use in China’s one-child families. McGill University Department of Art History and Communications Speaker Series Montreal, Canada.
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2005, July) Plenary discussion on Cybertrends. Youth.Net: Developing Cyberwellness Conference, Singapore. Panel chairperson
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2005, July) New Media Piracy: The Consumer Perspective. BIEM Workshop on On-Line and Digital Music Services, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
   
  
• Lim, S. S. and Tan, A. T. K. J. (2005, January) Software, Music and Movie Piracy, IP Academy, Singapore.
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2004, September) From Digital to Socio-Digital Divide - Singapore’s Experience in Infocomm Adoption, Universiti Putra Malaysia Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication Seminar on Impact of ICT Towards Society: Present and Future, Selangor, Malaysia

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2004, August) The Music Industry: Pot of Gold or Sinking Sands. Missing Youth, Fun, Popular Culture, Consumer Demands and Technology, WIPO Training Course on Creating Value from Copyright Works and Related Rights in the Music Industry, Singapore

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2003, August) The Singaporean Cyber Youth – Wired but Disconnected?, Youth.Net: Understanding and Guiding the Y-ired Generation” Conference, Singapore. Keynote speaker

  
   
  

• Lim, S. S. (2007, January), Of homework, handphones and homepages: Comparing technology domestication by middle class youths in China and South Korea, NUS- Yonsei Joint Conference on Digital Media Technology and New Ways of Living and Communicating in Asia,  Singapore. 31 January – 1 February

  
   
  

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

• Lim, S. S. (2006) The ‘Pavlovian Reflex’ in Students, CDTL Brief, 9(4): 1-2
   
  
• Lim, S. S. (2004) The Practicality of Theory, IDEAS on Teaching, 3(1): 22-23
   
  

• Lim, S. S., Oh, T.M., Wohland, T. (2003) Excelling at teaching and research: A preliminary study of best practices, CDTL Brief, 6 (5): 1-4 

  
   
  

Education Top

2003
PhD Media and Communications, London School of Economics

1999
Masters of Science in Media and Communications, Distinction, London School of Economics

1995
Bachelor of Social Sciences in Political Science, Honours, National University of Singapore

1994
Bachelor of Arts with Merit, Dean’s List, National University of Singapore,

Public Service Top

Dr Lim serves actively in public bodies where her research work helps to inform media policy and public education. From 2005-2007, she was a member of the National Internet Advisory Committee which advised the Media Development Authority (MDA) on issues relating to new media. She is currently a member of the newly established Internet and Media Advisory Committee which advises the MDA on issues relating to new media literacy and regulation. She also serves on the Working Group of the Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media on Society (AIMS). She is also a member of the MDA’s Interactive and Digital Media Experts Group which assesses start-up projects for seed funding. She also sits on the National Committee on Youth Guidance and Rehabilitation which advises the National Youth Council and the Ministry for Community, Youths and Sports on issues relating to problem youths. She has served as a consultant/lecturer/resource person for the Strategic Planning Office of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Media Development Authority, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Hometeam Academy, the Singapore Police Force, the IP Academy and the National Youth Council.

Awards Top

Faculty Excellent Teaching Award, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, 2008

University Excellent Teaching Award, National University of Singapore, 2007

Faculty Excellent Teaching Award, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, 2007

ASEAN Universities Network- Korean Association of Southeast Asian Studies Academic Exchange Fellowship, 2005/6

Faculty Excellent Teaching Award, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, 2006

Faculty Excellent Teaching Award, National University of Singapore, 2005

University Excellent Teaching Award, National University of Singapore, 2005

Raffles Rothschilds Chevening Scholarship, 1998 - 1999

Gold Award (Top Paper), Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) Europe Millennium Conference, Turin, Italy, 22 March 2000