About
The Ensemble
Last updated 02.20.2009
A cutting-edge exhibition in cultivating creativity through art and intellect, JAG-wire is the personal-professional ensemble of Jeff Ginger, a graduate student in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois. Through this site, Jeff seeks to share his talents and most passionate interests in different realms of his life: academic, creative, and professional.
Academic
As an aspiring young graduate student Jeff has only just begun his studies. His time spent in Sociology focused on Social Informatics (though he wouldn't have referred to it as such at the time); namely how Social Networking Services (SNS) like Facebook relate to identity and impression management, race and ethnicity, campus climate at UIUC, gender roles and sexism, information and communication, and more. This work was summed up in The Facebook Project, a research website that now stands as a resource for others interested in SNS. His interests have been newly expanded to include Community Informatics, an emerging area of theory and practice dedicated to providing (empowering) communities (neighborhoods, towns, virtual groups) with the means (skills, resources, relationships, vision) to address their own needs (education, jobs, health, environmentalism, recording local history, and more). These means are enabled by (or related to) information technologies, or in some broader interpretations, information processes. Jeff specifically focuses on disadvantaged communites, with particular interest in the digital divide (inequality) and participation gaps in technology use related to digital literacy and Human-Computer Interactions (HCI).
Professional
Though thoroughly entrenched (actually more bounding about joyfully) in academia for now, Jeff is considerably interested in engaging the nonprofit and altruistic professional world during the summers. His resume should thoroughly betray his skills and interests.
Creative
Though forced into a secondary role Jeff's artistic side finds a home here as well in the form of his latest work and projects from the portfolios. By far and above his best work is evident in his experience weaving the web and is reflected in his web portfolio where he strives for beautiful, audience-oriented design, and the balance of form and function. Beyond this Jeff has accumulated a small graphic art and photography portfolio as well as an array of advertisements from previous student organization work. And perhaps the least professional and most fun aspect of the group is Jeff's audio-visual portfolio, where he shares a bunch of videos and recordings he's created or been involved in over the years.
History
JAG-wire was created in 2007 by Jeff Ginger as a collected representation of his best academic, professional, and creative work. JAG-wire currently serves as the personal-professional front to Jeff's most recent and best scholarly work, invention, and ingenuity. The precursor and basis of JAG-wire, JAG85.com, was started in 1999 in Jeff's first and only formal web design class in high school. Since then JAG85 has undergone countless evolutions and is currently past its 6th generation. Beginning in 2002 Jeff began to include web sites for organizations as a part of JAG85 until it reached its present day state of laying host to over two dozen (mostly archived) academic, organization, and personal web sites.
Philosophy
Most of us are multifaceted individuals. To represent only one aspect of who I am and what I do would be a disservice to my abilities and persona. JAG-wire, consequently, reflects the many sides of myself. Passion, intensity, creativity, and activity comprise my life and JAG-wire is a conceptualization of this reality.
My philosophy, therefore, is detailed in several areas of expertise:
- Teaching Philosophy
- Research Philosophy
- Professional Resume Mission & Personal Summary
- My Principles of Web Design
Personal
Jeff Ginger is a PhD student in the school of library & information science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also attended UIUC for several years previous where he fostered his love for sociology and disdain for math-focused computer science. He comes from a Science and Technology Studies (STS) anti-disciplinary background (the insurgents of sociology?), has gobbled up a rather hefty helping of race/ethnicity studies (supplemented by intergroup dialogue), and is perhaps most famous for his Masters research on Facebook.com. His current studies revolve around social & community informatics, battling the digital divide, digital literacy (and participatory culture) and human-computer interactions (HCI) and his dissertation will likely be some blend of the these.
Jeff also occasionally makes websites, pretends to be an artist, records fun noises, and likes to teach.
About the REAL Me
This will probably sound dorky and dramatic, but that's me, so...
I find that one of the coolest questions you can ask someone is "Who are you?"
Some people define who they are by their studies, their jobs, their friends, their physical characteristics, or perhaps just their name. But we get to have a say in who we are, right? I don't want to be just a name or a job.
So who am I?
I am a driven and compassionate individual who yearns to make a difference in the world - in the lives of others as well as my own. Intensity and enthusiasm flows through my veins. I find value in creation and connection, see leadership as service, and take point often. I'm active and assertive and have a great deal of respect for others like this. I'm a thinker, a dreamer, and when required, a realist. I get excited about building stuff - be it a relationship, environment or physical (or virtual?) thing. When presented with problems I feel I should do something about them, even if it means just listening - I'm pretty incapable of apathy. Actions speak very loudly to me and positivity is probably my favorite trait, I do my best to embody it.
Oh, and life is way too important to take seriously.
Activities
Community Informatics Club, Inline Insomniacs, Double Hitters Anonymous (DHA) Volleyball, and I used to be involved in many more organizations... I occasionally revisit.
Interests
Informatics, sociology, web design, volleyball, recording, rollerblading, singing badly, computer gaming, graphic design, photography, ice skating, DDR, gender studies, biking, hacking, hiking, running, [bboy] breaks, skiing, kayaking & rafting, writing, public speaking, listening to music, theology, spirituality, kick_ball, psychology, race and ethnicity, cooking, human sexuality, philosophy, Legos, politics and, most of all, people.
