Cultural Informatics

Cultural Informatics - where culture, digital technology and information science converge

Cultural Informatics Perspective

Ways of knowing and ways of doing are being deeply impacted by digital technology from the perspective of individuals, institutions, societies and global communities. The way in which we view ourselves, and create images of self, are too mirrored through visual culture and expressed and influenced by digital communication and knowledge transfer. Cultural informatics studies this dynamic state of cultural transformation on both the macro and micro levels. For information professionals and scientists, this means research in human computer interaction, information design and interaction, technology in education and learning, and importantly, the conveyance of meaning through digital media. As cultural heritage is digitized at increasing rates and being made accessible broadly, the past converges or perhaps collides with the present causing unprecedented juxtapositions of diverse cultures in a sea of mass communication and world cultures across an unbounded digital universe.

At Pratt-SILS we are responding to these challenges of the 21st century information landscape through our program in cultural informatics.

Cultural Informatics @ Pratt-SILS

CCI focuses on research in usability, human computer interaction, cultural heritage description and access and digital archives and libraries in global information environments.

CCI features two studio labs:

Cultural Informatics Lab (CIL), located in room 609 enables usability testing and Web design.

Digital Media Lab (DAL),  under construction located in room 606 for digitizing rare books and manuscripts. right: Cultural Informatics Lab - student projects

The labs support faculty and student research, teaching and learning in the diverse field of cultural informatics. New areas of study and courses under cultural informatics include - digital curation, cultural heritage access and preservation, museum education and user studies.