Posted on May 31: Humanities celebrates past, present and future of multimedia

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Mactavish_Cioran_Rockwell.jpg” caption=”Mactavish, Cioran, Rockwell”]A recent celebration of three phases of Humanities computing at McMaster brought together the founding, current and soon-to-be directors of the Humanities Media and Computing Centre (HMCC), Sam Cioran, Geoffrey Rockwell and Andrew Mactavish.

Unveiling a plaque in Cioran's honour, Rockwell paid homage to the
innovation of his predecessor, who two decades ago began the
transformation of McMaster's analog tape-based language labs into what has become one of the country's most advanced humanities computing centres.

The initial impetus for change was linked to the ground-breaking multimedia language learning material developed at McMaster and used around the world (Cioran's Russian language courseware was chosen by NASA to train its astronauts), but on assuming responsibility for humanities computing 10 years ago, Rockwell's mandate was to expand humanities computing beyond language learning. ATOP funding helped establish a thriving BA combined honours multimedia program (the third graduating class will be celebrating at Convocation on June 2), and the HMCC now incorporates a slide library (currently carrying out a major digitization project) as well as the Lyons Communication Centre.

Rockwell, head of the TAPor (Text Analysis Portal) project, a collaboration of six leading Canadian universities, will soon
be handing over direction to multimedia professor Andrew Mactavish, who plans to continue and expand the Centre's support of appropriate
research and teaching use of AV and computer materials.

“These are exciting times for humanities computing,” says dean of humanities, Nasrin Rahimieh. “All aspects of our culture have been affected by developments in technology and new media, and we're proud of the leadership shown by McMaster in developing understanding of these new areas.”

Photo caption: Sam Cioran, Geoffrey Rockwell and Andrew Mactavish pose with a plaque in Cioran's honour at a recent multimedia celebration.

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[img_inline align="right" src="http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Mactavish_Cioran_Rockwell.jpg" caption="Mactavish, Cioran, Rockwell"]A recent celebration of three phases of Humanities computing at McMaster brought together the  founding, current and soon-to-be directors of the Humanities Media and Computing Centre (HMCC), Sam Cioran, Geoffrey Rockwell and Andrew Mactavish.<p><br />
<br />
Unveiling a plaque in Cioran&#039;s honour, Rockwell paid homage to the <br />
innovation of his predecessor, who two decades ago began the <br />
transformation of McMaster&#039;s analog tape-based language labs into what has become one of the country&#039;s most advanced humanities computing centres.<p><br />
<br />
The initial impetus for change was linked to the ground-breaking  multimedia language learning material developed at McMaster and used around the world (Cioran&#039;s Russian language courseware was chosen by NASA to train its astronauts), but on assuming responsibility for humanities computing 10 years ago, Rockwell&#039;s mandate was to expand humanities computing beyond language learning. ATOP funding helped establish a thriving BA combined honours multimedia program (the third graduating class will be celebrating at Convocation on June 2), and the HMCC now incorporates a slide library (currently carrying out a major digitization project) as well as the Lyons Communication Centre. <p><br />
<br />
Rockwell, head of the TAPor (Text Analysis Portal) project, a collaboration of six leading Canadian universities, will soon <br />
be handing over direction to multimedia professor Andrew Mactavish, who plans to continue and expand the Centre&#039;s support of appropriate <br />
research and teaching use of AV and computer materials. <br />
<br />
"These are exciting times for humanities computing," says dean of humanities, Nasrin Rahimieh. "All aspects of our culture have been affected by developments in technology and new media, and we&#039;re proud of the leadership shown by McMaster in developing understanding of these new areas."<p><br />
<br />
<i>Photo caption: Sam Cioran, Geoffrey Rockwell and Andrew Mactavish pose with a plaque in Cioran&#039;s honour at a recent multimedia celebration.</i>

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