WORKSHOP: The iConference 2017 Doctoral Colloquium

Syracuse University, Syracuse NY

Investigators

Abstract

This is funding to support participation by approximately 12 U.S.-based doctoral students (out of an estimated 21 total participants) who have completed their dissertation proposals. along with distinguished faculty mentors, in a doctoral colloquium (workshop) on information science research to be held in conjunction with the twelfth iConference that will take place March 22-25, 2017, in Wuhan, China, and which will be the first iConference in Asia. Since 2005, the iConferences have provided a forum where information scholars, researchers and professionals from around the world gather to share insights on critical information issues in contemporary society. An openness to new ideas and research fields in information science is a primary characteristics of these events, which have been successful in bringing together people who otherwise might rarely interact with one another, thereby helping to promote interdisciplinary research. Recent iConferences have drawn approximately 500 attendees, a testament to participants' appreciation for the inspiring sense of community, high quality research presentations, and myriad opportunities for engagement. The iConferences are presented by the iCaucus, now a consortium of 77 Information Schools in the United States and abroad dedicated to advancing the information field and preparing students to meet the information challenges of the 21st Century. This year's theme is "Effect, Expand, Evolve: Global collaboration across the Information Community"; more information may be found online at http://ischools.org/the-iconference. The iConference doctoral colloquia traditionally bring together the best of the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers focused on the interplay of information and technology in a social context, allowing them to develop a network both among themselves and with senior researchers. Participation is encouraged from a broad range of relevant disciplines, thereby expanding attendees' perspectives on their topics of study and promoting advancement of the field. The organizers of the 2017 event will proactively work to maximize diversity along such key dimensions as institution type, research topic, methodological approach, disciplinary tradition, gender, ethnicity, and national or cultural background, so that the students' horizons are broadened at a critical stage in their professional development. Based on past experience, the organizers expect a majority of the 21 accepted students will be women, but at a minimum will ensure that at least 10 of them are. Furthermore, no more than 4 students will be accepted from any single university. The Doctoral Colloquium will be tightly integrated into the conference experience, starting with an orientation event highlighting specific content during the technical program, and culminating in a full day focused on peer-research critique and career development which will overlap with and immediately follow the closing session of the conference technical program on March 25. The primary objective of the Doctoral Colloquium is to help train the next generation of information science researchers. To this end, it will provide the student participants with an environment in which they can share and discuss their goals, methods and results in order to gain feedback on their work both from the mentors and from other students, which should allow them to enhance their research. The student participants will come away with a better understanding of the various research communities engaged in the study of information science, and learn how to position their work within the field. In addition, the colloquium will provide students with opportunities such as poster sessions to make new professional connections beyond their own disciplines and institutions, and it will also help them successfully launch their careers whether in industry or academia.