Latest News
Introducing the 2024-25 Crosstalk Series
Join the Faculty of Information’s Crosstalk Series, an informal weekly speaker series in which two faculty members discuss their current research, look for common themes and answer questions from the audience. Learn about diverse research in the field of Information, uncover ‘hidden’ connections and encourage crossectoral collaboration within the Faculty. All students, staff and faculty […]
A GLAM makeover for the Archives of Ontario
Thanks to the GLAM Incubator, the Archives of Ontario has been able to move full speed ahead with a pilot project that will make archival material both easier to discover and more accessible Constrained by tradition and technology, archival descriptions have historically focused on two things: the records themselves and the people and organizations that […]
Faculty of Information to host inaugural Dublin Core Data Institute Conference
The Faculty of Information will host the inaugural Dublin Core Data Institute (DCDI) conference on October 19, 2024. The first event of its kind, DCDI will focus on advancing open data resources for humanities and social science research. The conference aims to bring together leading data and information scientists, as well as humanities and social […]
Profs champion collections management in new book
A new book on collections management in museums, which highlights new approaches in the field, is now available to download for free. Co-edited by Faculty of Information Professor Cara Krmpotich and Professor Alice Stevenson of University College London, Collections Management as Critical Museum Practice was published last July. “We created this edited volume to show the […]
Professor Beth Coleman named KMDI Director
Beth Coleman has been appointed director of the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI) for a two-year term starting July 1, 2024. Coleman is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology and holds a graduate faculty appointment at the Faculty of Information. She brings extensive academic and administrative experience to this […]
Meet our new professors
The Faculty of Information is thrilled to announce nine new faculty members. Five will be coming on board this summer and the remaining four will be starting in 2025. “I feel privileged to welcome these highly talented new professors to the Faculty of Information,” said Dean Javed Mostafa. “I am confident we will see exceptional […]
Faculty of Information takes on CCA 2024
Faculty of Information professors, students and alumni will have a strong presence at the 2024 Canadian Communication Association conference. CCA 2024 is taking place in Montreal from June 18 to 21 bringing together teachers, researchers and professionals from the public and private sectors to promote the investigation of communication, media and technology-relevant issues in Canada […]
Matt Ratto named fellow at new sustainable development think tank
Five University of Toronto scholars, including Faculty of Information Professor Matt Ratto, will be the first to join a think tank focused on “convergence research” to study the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On April 16, they became Fellows in the SDGs Scholars Academy. The Academy is part of SDGs@UofT. This Institutional Strategic Initiative brings together faculty, […]
Faculty of Information at CHI24: top international conference on Human-Computer Interaction
Faculty of Information professors and students will have a strong presence at the 2024 ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), the premier international conference of Human-Computer Interaction. CHI 2024 is taking place in Honolulu, Hawaii from May 11 to 16 bringing together researchers, practitioners and industry leaders to showcase some of the […]
As Jackman Fellow, PhD student Hassan Asif will explore underground Islamic media
PhD student Hassan Asif, who has just been named a Chancellor Jackman Graduate Fellow in the Humanities, plans to use his fellowship to advance his dissertation, which explores the intersection of digital media, remix culture and Islamic devotional music in Pakistan. His project examines the digital remixing of na’at, which are hymns in praise […]
Professor SA Smythe receives multiple arts awards
Faculty of Information Assistant Professor SA Smythe, who is also a poet and transdisciplinary artist, has recently been recognized with two important awards for artists. Earlier this month, it was announced Smythe, who teaches Black Studies and the Archive, has received a much coveted fellowship from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA), […]
Virtual influencers in three minutes or less
Congratulations to PhD student Julia Jeonghyun Parke, a top 20 finalist in the SSHRC’s 2024 Storytellers Challenge. This annual contest challenges postsecondary students to show Canadians, in up to three minutes, how social sciences and humanities research is affecting our lives, our world and our future for the better. For her research, Parke tracks the […]
Prof Christoph Becker’s book, Insolvent, makes finals at 2024 PROSE Awards
Congratulations to Professor Christoph Becker whose book, Insolvent: How to Reorient Computing for Just Sustainabilty, published by MIT Press, was named a finalist in the Engineering and Technology category at the PROSE Awards honoring scholarly works. Presented by the Association of American Publishers (AAP), the 48th annual PROSE awards “illustrate the extraordinary depth, breadth and […]
Illuminating the Past
Claire Battershill’s latest research project explores how special collections, often seen as exclusive spaces, can be opened up to the public through new ways of seeing. Claire Battershill, a book history scholar, began her academic journey by pursuing her love of physical manuscripts, but along the way she reached a fork in the road. One […]
Talking sense into Artificial Intelligence
Every week, the researchers in Assistant Professor Anastasia Kuzminykh’s lab get together to update each other on their work. While they are all investigating human-AI communication, there is a wide range of topics. Some of the students are researching how chatbots like Siri and Alexa are perceived by users. Others are exploring the influence of […]
GLAM Incubator seeks new projects
The Faculty of Information’s GLAM Incubator has put out a call for projects for 2024-2025. The GLAM Incubator is a research and support hub that connects galleries, libraries, archives and museums with the University of Toronto and its industry partners to lend resources and expertise to projects benefitting the broader GLAM sector, such as cutting-edge programming, […]
Online hub celebrates Indigenous history, culture and language
The Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Culture (GRASAC) recently launched a public platform that seeks to benefit Indigenous communities, cultural institutions and scholars alike. The GRASAC Knowledge Sharing Platform houses digital records of 5,000 Great Lakes heritage items and two online dictionaries with 17,000 Anishinaabemowin and Cayuga words. The site catalogues […]
Slow down, Professor Andrew Clement tells AI lawmakers
Professor Emeritus Andrew Clement recently told a parliamentary committee that he doesn’t think the proposed Artificial Intelligence Data Act (AIDA) will adequately protect Canadians. In his testimony late last month, Clement cautioned against hasty legislation, reminding stakeholders that effective governance of AI demands ongoing learning and collaboration, rather than a race to implementation. Clement, who has […]