Meryl Alper

Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies and Affiliate Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northeastern University

Meryl Alper is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies and Affiliate Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northeastern University. Her research focuses on the social, cultural, and health implications of communication technologies for young people, with a particular emphasis on disabled children, adolescents, and their families. She is the author of three related MIT Press books: “Digital Youth with Disabilities” (2014), “Giving Voice: Mobile Communication, Disability, and Inequality” (2017), and “Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age” (2023). Her research has been recognized with awards and honors from the Association of American Publishers, American Library Association, International Communication Association, and American Sociological Association. Her research also informs and is informed by her long-standing work as an educational researcher, curriculum developer, and strategist in the children’s media industry with partners such as Sesame Workshop, PBS KIDS, WGBH, Nickelodeon, Disney, and Apple TV+ (e.g., Sesame Street, Yo GabbaGabbaLand).

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