Julie Samuels

Julie is a Fellowship Councillor for Central England.

Julie Samuels is a researcher, educator, and practitioner whose work explores identity, kinship, and connection in digital contexts. Her research spans adoption, family relationships, ageing, disability, and broader issues of digital inclusion. She began her career in interactive media development before moving into higher education, where she held senior teaching and programme leadership roles in creative and digital arts.

She is the author of Adoption in the Digital Age: Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century (Palgrave Macmillan) and co-leads the Augmented Society Network (ASN) at the RSA, an international interdisciplinary network that brings together researchers, artists, designers, and practitioners to explore how emerging technologies can shape society, creativity, and human connection. Julie is also an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Lincoln.

Combining research, writing, visual practice, and hybrid exhibition design, she examines how digital and social media influence communication, identity, and belonging. Passionate about creating inclusive and reflective digital futures, Julie works across research, practice, and public engagement to inspire dialogue and social change.