I am a PhD candidate in American Studies at Boston University.

My research examines the intersection of Hollywood, American culture, and the prestige industry of film and television festivals and awards, such as the Emmys® and the Oscars®.

My dissertation examines the evolving role and relevance of the Academy Awards® (or Oscars) and their presenting organization, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), in the 21st century. Through a framework of media industry studies and cultural history, I consider how AMPAS has overhauled Oscar eligibility rules and its membership to adapt to cultural movements for racial and gender equality, and to address contemporary industrial trends, including streaming platforms, global co-productions, and blockbuster franchises.

I have served as a teaching fellow in film studies, television studies, and American history courses, and served as an instructor of record on a course that I designed, “The Oscars and American Culture,” which was featured in BU Today.

I am a co-founder and board member of the Marvin Hamlisch International Music Awards and have worked in the film festival industry and for the nonprofit CINE. I am a graduate of Boston University’s Film and Television Studies MFA Program and the George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs.

Email me at betsywalters@gmail.com or betsywal@bu.edu.