Helping businesses and their employees fire up their digital technology skills is the challenge that Chandra Chase, the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce’s programs and communications director, and a large contingent of local technology professionals hope to address at Vancouver’s first Digital Technology Expo on Thursday. It’s a mostly free event that showcases local resources as well as companies that are building the foundation for a growing digital technology job sector. » More …
A web-book showing the history of electronic literature launched online June 1, with live tweeting and blogging by co-creator Dene Grigar, associate professor of English at WSU Vancouver, and her project partner.
Made for a wide array of digital devices, “Pathfinders: Documenting the Experience of Early Digital Literature,” is available free through the open-source platform Scalar at http://scalar.usc.edu/works/pathfinders. » More …
Researchers are working across multiple disciplines and campuses at Washington State University to develop a device to help keep drivers awake while on the road. » More …
Project team, from left to right: Nicholas Rudy, WSUV Student & Project Manager; Greg Shine, NPS Chief Ranger & Historian; Dr. Dene Grigar, WSUV Course Instructor & CMDC Director; Bryan Ruhe, WSUV Student & Lead Designer; and Kyleigh Williams, WSUV Student & Content Specialist. Not pictured, Meagan Huff & Heidi Pierson, NPS Museum Technicians.
“Our plan is quite simple – we want to take over New York City publishing.”
That’s how Dr. Dene Grigar feels after witnessing her students produce a new digital book on the life of Dr. John McLoughlin, chief factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company at Fort Vancouver.
Grigar, an associate professor in English and director of WSU Vancouver’s Creative Media and Digital Culture (CMDC) program, believes that the old model of publishing is dying, and that the 225 students in her program are gaining real-world experience in the new model: digital.
Three CMDC students worked with the National Park Service on the digital publication which is called “The McLoughlin Family Collection: A Look Inside the Fort Vancouver Museum Collection.” The e-book features photos and 3D images of McLoughlin family artifacts from the National Historic Site collection, an animated overview of Dr. McLoughlin’s life and struggles on the frontier, and music recorded directly from the family melodeon, a type of early organ.
“This project fits well in the vision for the CMDC program,” Grigar explained. “We are developing a digital publishing track in our program and experimenting with open source technologies to produce scholarly, artistic and commercial publications.”
