'Mobiles' Masterclass

with Professor James Katz (Rutgers University)

Wed 4 June 2008 at University of New South Wales, Sydney

The 'Cultural Technologies' node of the ARC Cultural Research Network  is seeking applications from postgraduates and early career researchers who wish to take part in Masterclass with Professor James Katz - a pre-eminent figure in the dynamic, emerging field of study of mobile phones and mobile communication.

The class will be limited to 15 participants who are engaged in mobiles research. Participants will be chosen based on a competitive application process. The Masterclass will include a discussion of the work of Professor Katz, and key trends in the field of mobile studies, and short presentations from participants.

Cost:  The Masterclass is free of charge to successful applicants, and will include lunch and morning/afternoon teas. Participants travelling from outside Sydney will be eligible for travel and accommodation subsidies.

Closing date for applications is Monday 12 May, and must include:

* a 250-word summary of applicant's research topic, highlighting links to the area of mobiles research

* a one-page curriculum vitae

* full contact details.

For further information, contact Gerard Goggin: g.goggin@unsw.edu.au.

About Professor James E. Katz:

James E. Katz, PhD, is chair of the Department of Communication at Rutgers University where he also directs the Center for Mobile Communication Studies (http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/ci/cmcs/director/). His present focus is on how personal communication technologies, such as mobile phones and the Internet, affect social relationships and how cultural values influence usage patterns of these technologies. Currently he heads an NSF-sponsored project with the New Jersey Liberty Science Centre museum to investigate ways to stimulate teens from urban environments to use mobile communication technology for informal science and health learning.

Professor Katz has devoted his career to exploring the relationship among the domains of science and technology, knowledge and information, and social processes and public policy. He has been granted two patents and has won several awards including the 2009 Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Twentieth Century Communications History, which will take him to Italy, as well as

Bellcore's Distinguished Member of Staff Award, a Mellon Foundation Scholar award, and the Distinguished Scholar Award of the Society for the Social Study of Mobile Communication. He has won post-doctoral fellowships at Harvard and MIT. Katz is also the author of more than 50 refereed journal articles. His books, which include 'Magic in the Air: Mobile Communication'

and the 'Transformation of Social Life and Social Consequences of Internet Use: Access, Involvement, Expression,' have been translated into Chinese, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. His latest volume, published by MIT Press, is 'Handbook of Mobile Communication Studies'.

Websites

http://www.uq.edu.au/crn/