About

Hi, I’m Marie Therese, a Norwegian/Irish visual communicator specialised in cross-cultural understanding. My research and work draws on my own background and experiences of growing up with two cultural identities as well as on travels and interactions I have with people from all over the world. 

My interest in cultures, particularly how culture shapes our nonverbal behaviour, started at an early age. As a graphic designer the most natural way for me to make sense of cultural differences is through graphics, animation and interactive visual systems. Visual language is a powerful tool that helps me make sense of my research, and enables me to share valuable insights with others in a clear, quick way which crosses cultural and language borders. I dedicated nearly 4 years to exploring and developing new ways of analysing and communicating layers of nonverbal codes – specifically during greetings – in my PhD project, and have been invited to present this research at international conferences including UNESCO Digital Heritage International Congress and TEDx Hamburg. It was on the basis of this research that I founded CulturePro – a company offering intercultural training and presentations through visual language. 

Talks & Publications

2019

Europe Enterprise Network | Seminar: Cross-cultural communication through visual learning (Cork, Ireland)

2018

Republic of Work | Lunch & Learn Event: International Business Communication (Cork, Ireland)

2017

Uprise Festival| Panel Discussion: Diversity & Inclusion in Business (Dublin, Ireland)

Network Cork/Republic of Work |Panel Discussion: Marketing to Millennials (Cork, Ireland)

2016

TEDxHamburg|Talk: Patterning Culture by Marie Therese Shortt (Hamburg, Germany)

2014

University for the Creative Arts Film & Media School – Research Degree Students’ Work in Progress Day | Paper Presentation: Documenting & Mediating Greeting Rituals in a Multicultural City (Farnham, United Kingdom)

University for the Creative Arts – Research Student Conference ‘…and where do we go from here?’ Rethink. Reconfigure. Reflect | Paper Presentation: A Visual Analysis of Cross-Cultural Greetings (Canterbury, United Kingdom)

2013

UNESCO Digital Heritage International Congress | Presentation: Patterning Culture – Developing a System for the Visual Notation of Greetings (Marseille, France)

Paper published in the UNESCO Digital Heritage International Congress | Patterning Culture: Developing a System for the Visual Notation of Greetings (DigitalHeritage, 2013, Volume: 1)

2012

Encounter Art + Design Staff Research Conference, Kings Place | Pecha Kucha Presentation: Patterning Culture – Greetings & Power (London, United Kingdom)

Goldsmiths University of London | Politics of Practice – An International Interdisciplinary Colloquium | Paper Presentation: Patterning Culture (London, United Kingdom)

Upcoming Book!

I am currently working on my first visual book on the topic of world greetings, which I aim to have ready for publication by the end of the year!

The Sea

In my free time I love spending time by and in the sea – preferably on a surfboard. When the sea is too flat or too rough for surfing I pretend I’m still there by drawing it… Check out my sea/surf themed graphic prints at Shortt Design if you’re craving some Vitamin Sea… :)