iSchool researchers present community engagement research at ESC 2024

iSchool researchers will present their work at the 24th Annual Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC) International Conference, which will be held on October 9-10 in Portland, Oregon. The theme of the 2024 conference is "Pathways to Prosperity: Building Sustainable Futures through Community Engagement."

Teaching Assistant Professor David Charles and Teaching Associate Professor Martin Wolske will participate in the preconference, Engagement Academy for University Leaders (EA) Seminar, on October 7. This interactive session will feature testimonies, readings, and group discussions to address community engagement work in higher education.

At the Outreach and Engagement Practitioners Network preconference on October 8, Pathways for Change: Advice and Tools from Boundary Spanning Changemakers, Wolske will serve on the panel, Organizing Diverse Coalitions to Change Campus Culture to Support Community Engagement.

Jorge Rojas-Alvarez, PhD student in the Institute of Communication Research and research affiliate at the Community Data Clinic (led by Associate Professor Anita Say Chan), was selected to participate in the preconference, Emerging Engagement Scholars Workshop, an intensive professional development program for advanced doctoral students and early career faculty, on October 7-8.

Wolske will present "Locally Relevant, Globally Connected Prosperity: A Community Informatics Vision Statement" at the ESC conference on October 9. In his talk, he will introduce a proposed roadmap for navigating the complexities of society, technology, and global collaboration.

On October 10, Associate Professor Maria Bonn, Charles, and Wolske will present, "Engaged Unit Programs: an iSchool at Illinois Case Study," which they coauthored with Teaching Assistant Professor Brandon Batzloff. In their talk, they will share the iSchool's experience as an inaugural member of the University of Illinois Engaged Unit Program.

Also on October 10, Rojas-Alvarez will present "Connecting Technologies for Crisis: Champaign County Resources Project's Journey in Fostering Accountable Relationships and Technological Empowerment," which he coauthored with Chan and two of the Community Data Clinic's community partners, Danielle Chynoweth (Cunningham Township Supervisor’s Office) and Lynn Canfield (Champaign County Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Boards).

Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

New book explores video standards in film and archives

A new book co-authored by iSchool Adjunct Lecturer Jimi Jones and Marek Jancovic, assistant professor of media studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, examines video file standards and the tensions that have emerged between the film industry and the archiving community that is tasked with preserving cultural cinematic productions. 

Jimi Jones

Chin receives NSF CAREER award

Assistant Professor Jessie Chin has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award to support lifelong learning and foster information literacy. This prestigious award is given in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Chin’s project, “Search as a Mechanism for Learning,” will be supported by a five-year, $629,451 grant from the NSF.

Jessie Chin

What are the effects of trade restrictions on digital technologies?

President Donald Trump has threatened to levy higher tariffs on more than two dozen countries and on various products in the past few months. China in particular has been a target of the administration’s trade wars, aimed at preventing its dominance in areas such as artificial intelligence, although the U.S. government announced recently that it would sell advanced semiconductors used in AI to China. Assistant Professor Meicen Sun spoke with News Bureau arts and humanities editor Jodi Heckel about the effects of trade restrictions.

Meicen Sun

Hassan selected for IAPP Westin Scholar Award

PhD student Muhammad Hassan has been selected as an IAPP Westin Scholar Award honoree. The annual awards were created by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) to support students who are identified as future leaders in the field of privacy and data protection. 

Muhammad Hassan

Bak defends dissertation

PhD candidate Michelle Bak successfully defended her dissertation, "Promoting a Healthy and Comprehensive Diet through Theory-Driven Large Language Models-based Agents," on July 14.

Chaewon Bak