Ada Lovelace Day 2015: Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock on the challenge of women in science

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Hazel Hall

Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock

We’re marking Ada Lovelace Day 2015 next Tuesday 13th October at Edinburgh Napier University by hosting a public lecture by Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE (BBC Sky at Night presenter) on the challenge of women in science.

Although science and technology play a critical role in our lives, a significant proportion of the population is under-represented in this workforce. Maggie will address the question of why so few girls take up careers in science technology engineering and maths (STEM). She will explain why we need more women in these areas, outlining a three-pronged approach to ensure that all are encouraged to study the STEM subjects.

I very much enjoyed hearing Maggie speak in Glasgow last year. Continue reading →

Community councils and digital engagement: free workshops around Scotland this autumn

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Hazel Hall

Earlier this year I wrote about a workshop on digital engagement for community councillors hosted by Peter Cruickshank and Dr Bruce Ryan, both of whom are my colleagues in the Centre for Social Informatics. This first event at Edinburgh Napier University was a great success, as can be seen in the blogged review of the day and the outcomes report.

Following on from this, we are running another four such events in other locations this autumn in: South Ayrshire (9th October); Moray (30th October); Angus (13th November); and the Borders (20th November). Continue reading →

A week in Aberdeen at iDocQ and i3 2015 #iDocQ2015 #i3rgu

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Hazel Hall

Seven weeks of dissemination

When Leo Appleton presents the slides for our joint-authored paper on the value and impact of public library services on citizenship development at the 11th Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services today, this will mark the end of a busy conference season for the staff and research students in the Centre for Social Informatics. Continue reading →

Digital storytelling: an opportunity for libraries to lead in a digital age

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Hazel Hall

Brian Detlor

The Centre for Social Informatics is currently hosting a visit of Dr Brian Detlor of McMaster University. Yesterday Brian gave a talk on his research and involvement with the Love your city, share your stories (LYCSYS) digital storytelling initiative in Hamilton, Canada. This initiative is led by the Hamilton Public Library, McMaster University Library, and the City of Hamilton.

Brian explained how LYCSYS involves the capture and dissemination of digital stories from Hamilton citizens. The stories relate to significant cultural and historical icons in a wide variety of digital formats, and the use of library resources (for example, photographs, geo-coded digital maps, archival material) to enrich and support the digital stories produced. The initiative is viewed as a critical community-based mechanism by which to promote the City of Hamilton’s cultural identity, and to contribute to the preservation of Hamilton’s history. Continue reading →

DREaM Again moves into the data analysis phase

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Hazel Hall

Since the end of May my colleague Dr Bruce Ryan and I have been investigating the long-term impact of the AHRC-funded DREaM project (for which I was Principal Investigator in 2011 and 2012), and the forms that such impact has taken.

As part of this work we have been considering what ‘impact’ means in the context of library and information science (LIS), and how this relates to conceptions of the term in other domains where there is a perceived research-practice gap, such as policing, social work and nursing. This first part of the study has been based on an analysis of the extant literature. We intend to write this up as a review paper.

Continue reading →

Love your city, share your stories: Hamilton’s digital storytelling initiative presentation by Dr Brian Detlor, 16th July

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Hazel Hall

An invitation

On Thursday 16th July 2015 the Centre for Social Informatics at Edinburgh Napier University is hosting a seminar led by Dr Brian Detlor on digital storytelling and libraries.

Continue reading →

Incorporating a research-minded approach to professional practice: opening keynote at EAHIL 2015 #researchminded

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Hazel Hall

On 10th June 2015 I had the honour of opening the The European Association for Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL) conference, held in Edinburgh in collaboration with the International Conference of Animal Health Information Specialists (ICAHIS) and the International Clinical Librarian Conference (ICLC). This event is one of a series of biennial workshops and other related events designed to support healthcare librarians and information professionals in their work.

Continue reading →

Athena SWAN awards ceremony June 2015: a review in pictures #asawards

Posted on June 27, 2015 by Hazel Hall

On Monday 15th June I set off with my colleague Dr Clare Taylor for a day trip to London to participate at the Athena SWAN awards ceremony for all who made successful Athena SWAN award submissions in November 2014. It was a long day: I was up before 4:00am to be sure to catch the tram to the airport in time for the 07:20am flight to London City Airport.

Flight BE1329 to London City airport

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Athena SWAN awards ceremony June 2015

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Hazel Hall

Edinburgh Napier University was granted an Athena SWAN bronze award earlier this year. This was following the assessment of a detailed application document that I submitted on behalf of the University in November 2014.

Athena SWAN is the Equality Challenge Unit’s charter for women in science. The charter recognises the commitment of universities to the advancement of women’s careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). As part of its work the Equality Challenge Unit grants bronze, silver and gold awards to organisations that can demonstrate increasing levels of good practice in recruiting, retaining and promoting women in STEMM in higher education.

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The future of library and information science education and research: a view from Barcelona #liser2015

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Hazel Hall

I spent Thursday 4th and Friday 5th June 2015 in Spain as a guest of the Faculty of Library and Information Science at the University of Barcelona. Here I was one of many academics from across the world invited to join the Faculty in the celebrations of its one hundredth anniversary. These were organised around an event billed as the Third International Seminar on Library and Information Science (LIS) Education and Research (LIS-ER).

Blaise Cronin keynote speaker

The main theme of the meeting was education and research in library and information science. The opening keynote presentation was delivered by Dr Blaise Cronin, Emeritus Professor at Indiana University, and Visiting Professor at the Centre for Social Informatics at Edinburgh Napier University. There then followed a series of sessions on: LIS education in Europe; LIS education in America; LIS research in general; LIS academic journals; and research data. There was also an opportunity for those who contributed to a poster display to introduce their work in plenary. In this session the speakers invited delegates to visit an exhibition that displayed work on themes that ranged from open science to beach libraries for summer tourists.
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Hazel Hall

Emeritus Professor, Edinburgh Napier University

Category Archives: Events

Ada Lovelace Day 2015: Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock on the challenge of women in science

Love your city, share your stories: Hamilton’s digital storytelling initiative presentation by Dr Brian Detlor, 16th July

Athena SWAN awards ceremony June 2015: a review in pictures #asawards

Athena SWAN awards ceremony June 2015