Meryl Alper, PhD

Dr. Meryl Alper is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Northeastern University. Dr. Alper additionally holds the positions of Affiliate Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Affiliate Associate Professor in the University’s Health, Humanities, and Society Program. At Northeastern, she researches the social, cultural, and health implications of communication technologies, with a focus on disability, digital media, and children and families’ technology use. Dr. Alper is the author of three books with MIT Press: 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 books and articles have received accolades from the Association of American Publishers, American Library Association, International Communication Association, and American Sociological Association. In her research and teaching, Dr. Alper also draws on over 20 years of professional experience in the children’s media industry as a researcher, strategist, and consultant with organizations such as Sesame Workshop, PBS KIDS, Nickelodeon, and Disney. She is the recipient of Northeastern University’s College of Arts, Media, and Design’s Excellence in Research and Creative Activity Award and the North Star Leadership Prize from the Connected Learning Summit.

COI Statement: Consultant (a/o 2026): Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop.