She teaches and researches strategic communications from a socio-cultural perspective, focusing in particular on how power operates in and through public relations work. She also explores the ways in which public engagement, as a form of strategic communication, can extend and enhance citizen participation, particularly in relation to aspects of media policy such as copyright.
Before she joined academia, Professor Edwards worked for six years as a PR professional in New Zealand and the UK, specialising in technology PR and providing consultancy services to a wide range of organisations, including Microsoft.