The second in a series of free, open and informal lunchtime talks looks at how digital technology is changing humanities, and explores some of the promises, challenges, and surprises of digital learning.

Audrey Altman, master's student in the University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) in the Graduate College, will present “Attack of the Digital Map! The Wonderful Monsters We Create When Humanities and Technology Collide,” from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, in room 3052 of the UI Main Library.

In her talk, Altman will guide audiences through her research into how historical analysis and digital mapping affect projects that the public accesses and uses. She began to explore these issues while she was working with Nuestra Iowa, a project where university undergraduates created a digital exhibit of archived documents and interactive digital maps to explore the history of Latinos and Latinas in Iowa. Nuestra Iowa involves the Iowa Women’s Archives, Department of History, and SLIS.

Altman’s research interests include digital literacy, human-computer interaction, and the impact of new technologies on libraries and education. Before coming to Iowa, she earned a Master of Arts degree in American Studies at the University of Alabama.

This lecture is part of the Public Digital Humanities for Lunch (PDH4L) series sponsored by the UI Digital Studio for Public Humanities. All lectures are free and open to all interested individuals. Lunch is not provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own.

PDH4L talks throughout the coming year will focus on the nature and role of public digital humanities in contemporary culture. Over the course of this series audiences will interact with prominent Digital Public Humanities researchers, to gain understanding and shape the discussion of this rapidly rising field of study.

For more information or special accommodations to attend any of these talks, contact Mark NeuCollins with the UI Digital Studio for Public Humanities at 319-560-9360.