heather is a sociocultural anthropologist at the uc humanities research institute at the university of california, irvine with expertise in the study of new media use among youth and their families. heather was a researcher on a three-year collaborative project funded by the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation, exploring how young people use digital media and the developmental and educational impacts of this use.

alongside her work with families in silicon valley and the online site neopets, she carried out ethnographic research in jamaica on the relationship between mobile phones and development as well as mobile phone use among transnational families. she co-authored the book the cell phone: an anthropology of communication with daniel miller and the forthcoming book with mit press entitled hanging out, messing around and geeking out: living and learning with new media. heather received her phd in anthropology from university college london.