[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Roman_Eugene.jpg” caption=”Eugene Roman”]How would you feel if every time you needed to send an email you had to pick up a pen and paper, write out your thoughts, find a stamp and envelope, walk to a mailbox, deposit your message and then wait a couple of weeks for a response? Human communication has been revolutionized in only a few short decades. It is a commonly held belief that where we are heading is shaped by where we have been and this week, McMaster's Communication Studies & Multimedia Department welcomed an information and technology expert to share thoughts and inspire discussion on this timely topic.

Eugene Roman, group president, Bell Canada Systems & Technology, was a special guest of “Developments in Human Communication: Past and Present” (CMST 1B03) on Monday, March 20. The popular course, designed and hosted by historian Laurence Mussio, instructs on the history of communications – from the alphabet to the Internet.

Roman's lecture, “The Digitization of Everything: The MODern Era” focused on developments in electronic communication leading up to the evolving 'on-demand' universe. He focused in particular on the most revolutionary development of the past few years – wireless technology – anything that can be done on a handheld device, anytime, anywhere. The on-demand dimension is the key phenomenon to watch for: on-demand commerce, on-demand voice, on-demand information and especially on-demand multimedia.

Roman stressed his approach to new technologies was deeply grounded in a profoundly historical understanding of our experience with technology. The evolution of business models, the creation of markets, innovation, social interaction, as well as the conceptualization of meaning behind those developments all have something to tell us today.

His charismatic and easy manner stimulated students to interact with the engaging presentation. Those piping up to respond to his questions were surprised when they were rewarded with an iPod;one particularly bright student receiving a video iPod. There were guffaws of laughter when one student shouted he would remove his clothes to win one. However, the “wow” factor didn't stop there. The presentation inspired students to think about the importance of history, counter-intuitive thinking, and even the intriguing idea of the 'holon' – an idea championed by Roman and first proposed by Arthur Koestler. (Koestler proposed the word 'holon' to describe the relationship between parts and wholes, in that something can be considered a whole in its own right, while simultaneously being perceived as a part of a larger whole.)

Roman finished his visit with a tour of McMaster's multimedia labs, accompanied by Mussio and Geoffrey Rockwell, chair of the department of communication studies and multimedia. Kelly Gillis, director of communications for Bell Systems & Technology also accompanied Mr. Roman on the tour.

As Bell's chief technology “deep thinker”, Roman is responsible for over $1-billion in Canadian R&D resources in this high technology sector, including Bell University Labs.