Dr. Elizabeth Daggett Matar, M.F.A. is an Assistant Professor at the American University in the Emirates teaching in the Department of Media and Mass Communications. She is a documentary producer and director, creative director and producer of animated films, web3 enthusiast, and XR educator and producer: in short, a storyteller in an ever-evolving media landscape. Ten-second animations to multi-continent productions, it’s her focus on the individual that has netted her numerous international prizes, including three Telly awards, and she was named an “expert” in a documentary film by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs.
Dr. Matar has an M.F.A. in Radio, Television, and Film from the University of North Texas (2008), and a B.A. from the University of Memphis in Communications, with a minor in Journalism and newspaper writing and editing experience, a Doctorate in Media and Communications from the University of Hamburg (2024) and over ten years of teaching experience. She has authored a book on the filmmaker Jürgen Böttcher, and several book chapters and reviews.
She excels in interviewing, crafting stories, and leading teams from diverse backgrounds to make moving audiovisual experiences. A frequent presenter at conferences, a former elected board member of the University Film and Video Association and having had the pleasure of serving on many festival juries and grant decisions, Matar loves connecting passionate students with industry opportunities and her broad professional network.