The digital revolution is the source of new knowledge generated by research and field experience, the Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) community was told at a panel discussion titled “Doing Digital: The Knowledge Component,” which featured new faculty in digital media studies.
NU-Q Dean and CEO Everette E Dennis said: “Digital is more than devices; it is theory and knowledge that creates a conceptual roadmap and enhances understanding. The beneficiaries are our students who transmit what they learn far and wide.”
For several years, the school has moved to strengthen its offerings by attracting world-class faculty including recent hires in digital media studies, digital design, and digital journalism.
“These new colleagues represent an important development in the history of our school with deep experience in Europe, Asia, and the US – all centred around digital advances. With their help our school is poised to navigate change and cope with the complexity of a dynamic information society,” Dennis added.
The session was led by Internet expert, Banu Akdinzili, associate professor of communication at NU-Q, who appraised the importance of digital literacy and noted its value in understanding the current and future landscape of media and communication.
NU-Q’s new faculty members who participated in the discussion were Eddy Borges-Rey, S Venus Jin, and Spencer Striker, engaged the audience with comments about the definition and importance of the digital media economy and ecosystem.
Drawing on their work on data journalism, video games, and technological entrepreneurship, they discussed current and future research projects and demonstrations.
The three drew on their background at a number of prestigious institutions including the USC Annenberg School for Communication, the University of Wisconsin, and other institutions where they have taught such as Scotland’s University of Stirling, Korea’s Sejong University Business School, and Spain’s University of Malaga.

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