NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute for FY 2012 in China

Torre Fernando, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds Fernando E. Torre of the University of Minnesota to conduct a research project, entitled "Exploring effects of culture on geographic collaboration systems," during the summer of 2012 at Dalian Maritime University in Dalian. The host scientist is Professor Zhengjie Liu. The Intellectual Merit of the research project is its role in the expanding research area of culture and Human-Computer Interactions (HCI), helping to close the gap between both fields, which is key to building an effective global community. The project promises to achieve this by exploring the motivations, benefit, and usage in China of Cyclopath, a geographic wiki for cyclists. Through lab studies and user interviews, it aims to understand how users in a different culture approach open collaboration systems differently. Furthermore, the study of culture in geographic open collaboration systems is especially important, as culture is influenced significantly by geographic location. Broader Impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce.