Dr. Lauren Dwyer is an Assistant Professor in the Information Design program at Mount Royal University. Her research examines how emerging technologies, including algorithmic media systems and AI-influenced journalism, reshape communication, behaviour, and the social unconscious. Her work investigates the design of machine systems that curate public perception, influence cognitive autonomy, and restructure media ecosystems. Dr. Dwyer holds a PhD from Toronto Metropolitan University and York University’s joint Communication and Culture program, where she explored the communicative and emotional affordances of social robots. Prior to joining Mount Royal, she served as Academic Chair for Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics at SAIT, where she oversaw the development of applied AI education. Her current research critically engages with how the design and deployment of algorithmic infrastructures shape decision-making, visibility, and the collective production of meaning in contemporary media landscapes.