SY RACU S E U N I V ER S ITY FALL 2008 l VOL. 10, NO. 2 School of Information Studies THE ORIGINAL I NF O RMA T I O N S C H oo L Innovation at the iSchool Entrepreneurial thinking unites the interdisciplinary iSchool community MARGARET D. SPILLETT, EDITOR ntrepreneurship has played a dominant role in shaping Ameri- can history and driving the national economy, and American universities have provided a Efertile environment for innovative ideas to take root and grow. Here at Syracuse University, Chancellor Nancy Cantor has described the campus as “a place where creative exchanges occur easily across disciplines and colleges” and where students “have been given real, entre- preneurial opportunities in settings where students with diverse interests from diverse backgrounds can ‘mix it up.’” The School of Information Studies, grounded in interdisciplinary study and prob- lem solving, supports entrepreneurial activ- ity on many levels. Innovation occurs in our partnerships with community organizations and local business owners, how we teach our courses, and our bleeding-edge research. The iSchool faculty, students, and alumni Professors Lee McKnight and Craig Watters work with students in the Wireless Grids Lab, where students spur economic growth through their business access emerging technologies not yet on the market, including McKnight’s new wireless grids software, Innovaticus. ventures and through their research that paves “Americans in big numbers iSchool community urged the way for new technologies and man age- ment processes. are looking to entrepreneurs to ‘unleash its creativity to Needed Now More than Ever to rally the economy.” A new study by the Ewing Marion Kauff- increase its impact’ man Foundation reports that Americans see — Carl Schramm, president and CEO entrepreneurship as the answer to the current of the Kauffman Foundation MARGARET D. SPILLETT, EDITOR financial crisis. “Americans in big numbers are looking to entrepreneurs to rally the economy,” In her 2006 speech, “Universities and Their he School of Information Studies officially began its 2008-09 said Carl Schramm, president and chief execu- Connected Communities: Creating Capital for academic year with its annual Fall Convocation ceremony tive officer of the Kauffman Foundation, in an the Future,” Chancellor Cantor describes the September 12 in Heroy Auditorium. Dean Elizabeth D. Liddy October 1 release. “More than 70 percent of great contributions private universities make opened the event with a welcome to the faculty, staff, and voters say the health of the economy depends to economic growth and competitiveness. “Our TPh.D. students and then introduced Associate Chancellor and Provost Eric on the success of entrepreneurs, and a full 80 definition of ‘capital’ must be stretched to percent want to see the government use its include the cultural and social capital of trust- F. Spina, who delivered the keynote address. resources to actively encourage entrepreneur- ing networks of peoples, ideas, and cultures that “It’s very exciting to be in the midst of what amounts to a har monic ship in America.” are bound to invigorate the new economy,” she convergence of intellectual ferment and unity of purpose directed Additionally, many experts believe that said. “Scholarship in Action serves us all well— toward bringing our great strengths to bear on the greatest challenges in the 21st-century global economy with campus and community alike—as it sparks an facing the world,” Spina said. “In fact, that pretty much captures the many manufacturing jobs being sent over- entrepreneurial attitude that invites diverse essence of SU’s vision, Scholarship in Action.” seas, America can remain the stronghold of the participants to pool ideas creatively. Such ‘com- knowledge economy through its universities and munities of experts’—some scholars, some Spina went on to list a series of accomplishments and new research innovation. Jeff Bussgang of Businessweek.com practitioners, some citizens, some students— partnerships that the University and the iSchool were involved in over predicted that America’s greatest export will seem especially well suited to address the most the past year. He acknowledged the role new Dean Liz Liddy has had in be entrepreneurism, and noted that many pressing concerns of our shifting economies and advancing the school since her appointment last spring. international innovators have been educated environments.” The “i” in iSchool stands for much more than information, Spina said. in the United States. The 2008 edition of the It is important to note that entrepreneur- It also stands for: World Knowledge Competitiveness Index ranks ship does not just mean running a business, the United States in the top spot; and although but rather it is thinking of new and innovative l Interdisciplinary—shown through the multidisciplinary nature other nations are gaining ground, some organi- ways to offer products and services to patrons, of the school’s faculty and programs as well as the cross-campus zations, like the Kauffman Foundation, believe says Associate Provost for Entrepreneurship collaborations and the importance of IT to every other field American universities can help the country and Innovation and iSchool Professor Bruce continued on page 5 secure this historic strength. continued on page 8 F A L L 2 0 0 8 SYRACusE UNIVERSITY | S choo L of I nfo R mation S tu D ies HO2 ME PAGE Inside this Issue Feature Articles Innovation at the iSchool 1 2008 Fall Convocation 1 Creating new breed of Share with us your information professional 5 Five decades of fervor 6 HindSights Bernard named director of executive education 7 trust you enjoyed our last celebratory internships or hire students with the expertise Library students create Home Page, which centered on our very that they learn in the iSchool. The quality of strategic plans 12 D E A N ’ exciting iOpening, with photos of many our student body is very impressive, and I was Students create digital library of our new spaces. While we continue pleased to be able to award 16 Scholarships for in Costa Rica 13 Ito be exhilarated by the lovely environs in which Graduate Leadership this fall to ensure that the iSchool awards 16 Graduate we work, we have a few more embellishments best and the brightest are able to join us. Leadership Scholarships 20 to Hinds Hall, which you’ll read all about in our In addition to focusing on our everyday life next issue — but just a hint now. One is the in the school, I’ve been thinking that it would be School News addition of an Innovation Studio on the ground great to hear stories from our alumni of what Dean’s Column 2 floor, which will enable studio-based methods your education and time here with us have led Faculty Column 3 of teaching and learning that promote collabora- you to. In fact, I think we should call these remi- Faculty News 3 tion, idea generation, and rapid prototype devel- niscences as HindSights, given our location in iSchool News Briefs 4 S opment for student and faculty team projects. Hinds Hall. What I’m thinking of is how we can Student News 10 The second is a partnership with colleagues in recognize the significance today of an event or New Faces in Hinds Hall 16 the College of Visual and Performing Arts on learning from years ago, that was not clear to us Student Profiles C Designing the Information Space: The Windows then. For many of us, it was a particular course Project — a design competition that will result or professor who had a lasting impact, and either Robert Sherman 11 OLU in the selection of one or more commissioned knowingly or unknowingly influenced our career Raed Sharif 17 site-specific art pieces for the iSchool by students paths, or perhaps a fellow student who years Alumni News to be permanently installed in the Hinds Hall later re-emerged in a network of professional window wells on the ground floor, which right associates and opened new doors for you. Barb From the Director 14 now are raw grey concrete. So stay tuned. Settel, director of alumni relations and annual Class Notes 14 For now, we are back to a more regular giving, and I would love to learn from your Alumnus Profile M academic routine, with our classes filled with HindSights, so please share. We hope to feature Michael Librizzi 15 the largest enrollment we have ever had — a HindSights in future editions of our Home Page Development Forum 18 60 percent increase at the masters’ level. Our newsletter. I look forward to hearing from you, N List of Donors 19 students are so aware of the significance and and to hopefully seeing many of you at our centrality of what they’ve chosen to major in as various alumni events around the country. undergrads or graduate students, that it makes all our courses and student events quite stimulating and expectant. Not only do our students realize this, but so do employers, and again this year we SYRACU S E U NIVER S ITY have been fortunate to welcome many, many Elizabeth D. Liddy recruiters to campus who are looking to offer Dean PAGE School of Information Studies T H E O R igi NA L I N F O R M A tio N S C H ool Home Page is published twice a year by the School of Information Studies, Hinds Hall, Syracuse University, Syracuse NY 13244, 315-443-2911; ischool.syr.edu; [email protected] Elizabeth D. Liddy, Dean Executive Editor: Barbara Settel G’73, G’76 [email protected] Editor: Margaret D. Spillett, [email protected] Contributing Writers: Leah M. Galka G’09 Pradnya Khadapkar G’10 Tracy Twombly ’09 Timeka N. Williams ’10 Design and Production: Kiefer Creative Photography: John Dowling Alyse French ’10 Susan Kahn Steve Sartori Margaret D.