Cao, Le

Research Interests

• Digital Media Studies
• Ethnographic Studies
• Aesthetics of Reception Research
• Journalism Studies
• Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC)
• Mixed methods, incl. quantitative, and qualitative approaches

Education

• 2018 – 2023
  Ph.D of Philosophy in Digital Media and Cultural Studie (summa cum laude), Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany
• 2013 – 2010
  Master of Philosophy in Aesthetics, Sichuan Normal University, China
• 2006 – 2010
  Bachelor of Arts in Radio and Television Scriptwriting and Directing, Sichuan Normal University, China

Working Experience

• 2025 – Ongoing
  Visiting Scholar, Institute for Theater and Media Studies, Friedrich Alexander University in Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.
• 2023 – 2025
  Assistant Professor (Medium rank) and Head of Department of Digital Media, Art Design and Ethnic Culture, Institute of Education, Culture and Media, Meishan Branch of Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, China.
• 2019 – 2022
  Lecturer, Institute for Culture and Aesthetics of Digital Media (ICAM), Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany.
• 2015 – Ongoing (part-time)
  Digital Media Technical Advisor, Chengdu Miaohui Film Industry Co., Ltd. , China.
• 2015 – 2018
  Assistant Professor (Medium rank), Institute of Culture and Arts, Meishan Vocational and Technical College, China.
• 2013 – 2015
  Lecturer (Junior rank), Sichuan Technology and Business University, China.
• 2012
  Chinese Language Teacher, Thailand Nakhon Ratchasima Kh Fu Chun Puwang Suksa School, Thailand.
• 2007 -2009
  Trainee Journalist, Xindu District of the Television Station in Chengdu, China.

Research Projects

• 2024 – 2026
  »Study on the Practical Path of Digitization of Ethnic Culture studies« funded by Sichuan Philosophy and Social Science Key Research Base: Sichuan Center for Education Development Research of China West Normal University [Grant No.CJF24047].
• 2024 – 2025
  »Research on the Systematic Construction and Mode of Integration of Industry and Education in Digital Media and Ethnic Culture studies« funded by Scientific Research Fund of Sichuan Vocational and Technical Education Center [Grant No.GZY24B39].
• 2020 – 2023
  »A Practical Study of the Digital Works of Rural Influx under the Background of Rural Revitalization« funded by Chongqing Municipal Education Commission [Grant No.20SKGH086] .
• 2019 -2023
  »A Study of the Distribution of Ethnic Minority Images on the Video Social Platform in the Digital Media Context« funded by Chongqing Municipal Education Commission [Grant No.19SKGH065].
• 2019
  »Provincial-level High-quality Online Open Course ›Photographic Technology‹« funded by the Department of Education of Sichuan Province.
• 2017-2018
  »Research on project-based teaching of digital media studies based on the requirement of positions« funded by Meishan Vocational and Technical College [Grant No.17JY03].

Publications

Book

1. Cao, L. (2023). When documentaries meet new media: Interactive documentary projects in China and the West. Berlin, Germany: J.B. Metzler (Part of Springer Nature).

Thesis

1. Cao, L. (2013). A study on the reception aesthetics of Thai youth films[Master’sthesis]. Sichuan Normal University, China. https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD201401&filename=1014115104.nh

Journal Articles

1. Cao, L. (Eds., in progress). Sociotechnical Imaginaries of Artificial Intelligencein Cultural Heritage: Technonational Discourses in Chinese News Media. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.
2. Cao, L. (Eds., in progress). Fact-Checking Organisations in China: Characteristics, Verification Approaches, and Practices. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly.
3. Cao, L. (2025). Viewing the »invisible women«: A qualitative study on the empowerment effect of Chinese rural women in the context of short video platforms. Acta Psychologica.1-15.
4. Cao, L. (2025). Research on the System Construction and Governance of Industry-Education Integration for Digital Culture Majors—An Empirical Analysis Based on Higher Vocational Colleges in Sichuan. Art Science and Technology, 9, 45-65.
5. Cao, L. (2025). A qualitative analysis of the influencing factors and model of empowerment of ethnic minority women in China on social media platforms: A grounded theory based on NVivo. Journal of Western, 1, 81-86.
6. Cao, L. (2025). Color in the documentary film: from black-and-white to color documentary film. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 9(1),181-188.
7. Cao, L. (2025). Is there such a thing in Chinese and Western documentary films?. The Educational Review, USA, 9(1),112-116.
8. Cao, L. (2024). Fusion and Adaptation: The Evolution and Localization of Hip-Hop Music in China, Literature and Art Development and Innovation, 12(1).54-59.
9. Cao, L. (2018). A study of curriculum design for film and television studies in the context of digital media. Contemporary, 8, 74.
10. Cao, L. (2017). Contemporary vocational education principles applied in teaching film and television program production. South North Bridge, 19, 195-197. doi:10.3969/j.issn.1672-0407.2017.19.195.
11. Cao, L. (2016). Landscape painting ontology of Zong Bing in »the theory of landscape painting«. Information Construction, 1, 196-197.
12. Cao, L. (2016). The Chuang-tzu aesthetics of the other’s meaning. Chinese Youth, 1, 272.
13. Cao, L. (2016). The understanding of Wen Xin Diao Long Shen Si. Scientific Chinese, 9, 130.
14. Cao, L. (2014). Thoughts on aesthetic education in universities. Technology Overview, 6, 184-185.
15. Cao, L. (2014). Reflections on »strong« and »weak«. Chi Zi, 06, 68-69.
16. Cao, L. (2013). Chinese elements in cultural and creative: A case study of Zhang Yimou’s Impression Series. Can Hua, 11, 36-39.

Presentations

1. Cao, L. (2026, January). Drone Delivery as Everyday Performance in China: Aesthetics, Mediation, and Politics of the Low-Altitude Economy, Paper presented at the Conference of the Drone Performances. Aesthetics, Mediation, Politics,
2. Cao, L. (2025, October). News Media Imaginaries of AI in Cultural Heritage: China’s Technonational Visions and Discursive Constructions (2022–2025), Paper presented at the Regional Conference of International Communication Association (ICA), China.
3. Cao, L. (2025, July). Fact-Checking Organizations in China: Characteristics, Verification Approaches, and Practices. Paper presented at the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR), Singapore.
4. 3. Cao, L. (2024, September). False empowerment: A qualitative study of the short video platform empowering rural, left-behind women in China. Paper presented at the 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
5. Cao, L. (2023, January). When documentary meet new media. Workshop “Interact! New forms of social interaction with intelligent systems” , Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany. Online.
6. Cao, L. (2019, October). Music technology and cultural practice in China:Traditional musical instruments and digital technology in Chengdu. Workshop “Materiality of Musical Instruments”, Deutsches Museum Munich, Germany.
7. Cao, L. (2019, October). Media for a globalized audience. Workshop“Sharing in a Globalized World”, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany.

Invited Talks

1. Cao, L. (2024, April). Digital media and ethnographic culture. Meishan Vocational and Technical College, China.
2. Cao, L. (2018, July). Digital technologies transforming the lives of ethnic minorities. Ebian Yi ethic group Autonomous County, China.
3. Cao, L. (2018, Janary). Using digital approaches to carry out regional ethnographic research. Meishan Vocational and Technical College, China.
4. Cao, L. (2017, July). How citizens in digital culture deals with the Dongpo cultural feast. Meishan Vocational and Technical College, China.
5. Cao, L. (2011, October). Design and creativity in animated films. Sichuan Normal University, China.

Teaching

Lectures on Communication, Digital Media, Data analytics and Ethic Culture since 2011

• BA seminar »Interactive video production« (Meishan Vocational and Technical College, 4SWS)
• BA seminar »Digital media and ethnography« (Meishan Vocational and Technical College, 4SWS)
• BA seminar »Digital and visual approaches in the field of ethnic minorities« (Meishan Vocational and Technical College, 4SWS)
• BA seminar »Digital media and cultural transformation in China« (Leuphana University Lüneburg, 1 semester, 3SWS)
• BA seminar »Contemporary Chinese media: Media system, culture, and transformation« (Leuphana University Lüneburg, 1 semester, 3SWS)
• BA seminar »Chinese documentary and cultural identity: From traditional to digital media« (Leuphana University Lüneburg, 1 semester, 3SWS)

Awards

Outstanding Teacher Award

• 2023: Chongqing & Sichuan Provincial Education Departments  (Top 2% among 5,000 participants)
• 2016 & 2017: Meishan Branch, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences (Top 1% among 500 participants)

Teaching Award

• 2016 & 2017: First Prize, Meishan Branch, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences (Top 1% among 500 participants)
• 2016: Second Prize, Sichuan Provincial Department of Education (Top 3% among 8,000 participants)
• 2015: Third Prize,Sichuan Normal University (Top 5% among 500 participants)

Outstanding Mentor Award

• 2015: The 13th Academy Award of Advertising Festival of Chinese College Students (National Industry Competition)

Student Competition Mentorship (National Industry Competition)

• 2023: Mentored students to 6 awards at National Advertising Festival for Chinese College Students
• 2018: Mentored students to 13 awards at the 16th Academy Awards, National Advertising Festival