Call for Session Leaders
Below is a copy of the call for session leaders put out earlier in 2006 by the i-conference organizers. This copy is for archival purposes only. Please see the conference schedule for current program details.
The i-Conference 2006 organizers have put out a call for session leaders for this year's i-conference, which is focusing on the frontiers of research in the information world. The session leaders will each lead one of six 1.5 hour sessions of submitted content and audience engagement. The remainder of the program will include three invited speakers and a concluding plenary panel.
Following the successful launch of the i-Conference at Penn State last year, the purpose of the 2006 i-Conference is to frame the emerging research space of interest to our community. Over the past six months, lists of research areas were submitted by 14 of the 19 iSchools. From these submissions, the list below was constructed. Topics listed were typically mentioned by at least five of the schools, and in some cases, by as many as 11. These represent a starting point for organizing six sessions for the 2006 i-Conference.
Those who wish to be a session leader are asked to refine one or a few of these topics by focusing them, merging them, or elaborating them to create a framework for exploration and discussion at the conference. Each of the resulting research areas might be explored through a single major presentation, a series of smaller presentations, a panel, or even something such as a tutorial. The session leader will coordinate solicitation of the participants who will create these exploratory materials from among the broad iSchool community, arrange the format for the proposed session, and if the proposal is accepted be responsible for preparation and execution of the session at the conference. Assistance with logistics for each session will be provided by the i-conference staff.
To propose a session, write a very brief description of the topic, who will be involved, and a preliminary plan for the session. A page or two should suffice. Send these to Gary Olson, i-Conference 2006 Program Chair at gmo - at - umich - dot - edu no later than August 11. Feel free to email questions or clarifications.
Topics From a Survey of 14 iSchools
(in no particular order)- Mobile and ubiquitous computing
- Digital preservation
- Information behavior
- Digital libraries
- Visualization
- Innovative methods (computational, experimental, ethnographic)
- Globalization and development
- Digital literacies
- Ethical and social implications
- Law and policy
- Community informatics
- Social computing and collaboration
- Information economics
- Search and retrieval (including semantic Web)
- Knowledge management
- Information architecture
- Health/medical informatics
- Security and privacy
- New media arts and cultures
- Domain-specific informatics
- Education and learning
- Organizational behavior
If you have other questions about i-Conference 2006, you can contact the planning committee at iconference -at- umich -dot- edu 
.