Dr Bertha taught classes in media theory, advertising and digital culture at various higher institutions in the UK before returning to Kuching. She obtained her PhD in Media and Cultural Studies from Cardiff University. She has published extensively in the field of fan studies, celebrity studies, crowdfunding and social media. She is a board member of the UK-based Fan Studies Network, and in 2017, set up an Australian and Asian chapter of the network for fan studies scholars based in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. She is one of the few Asian scholars on the editorial board of the prestigious International Journal of Cultural Studies, and Celebrity Studies, as well as the Journal of Fandom Studies and Transformative Works and Cultures. Bertha is also a member of the Asian Media and Cultural Studies Research Network. She consulted for various independent films, web series and gaming projects on social media and audience engagement, one of which was developed into a series for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation while she was in the UK.
Since moving back to Sarawak from the UK, she has also become interested in coffee culture and Sarawak heritage, and in her spare time, volunteers for The Brooke Trust, a charitable organisation promoting the recognition and appreciation of Sarawak’s unique history and heritage. She is also on the committee member of The Sarawak Association, a UK-based organisation with historical roots that connects Sarawakians and those with an interest in Sarawak.
