Jeff Ginger
| Phone | 630.464.0047 (cell) 217.333.3280 (department office) |
| ginger@illinois.edu | |
| Websites | jeffginger.com (personal, portfolio) communityinformaticsprojects.org (research) thefacebookproject.com (research) |
| Office Address | Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) |
Education
Ph.D., Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, expected 08.2013
- Area of Interest: Social and Community Informatics
- Dissertation: Digital Literacy, Cyberpower and Retaking the Public Sphere: A qualitative study of public library resources in underserved Illinois communities, proposal defended 12.2011
- Field examination completed, 04.21.2010
- Course work included history and foundations of information science, additional research methods experience (qualitative) and various individual topics of study in social and community informatics: distributed knowledge, ubiquitous learning, IT and the black experience, community engagement, human-computer interaction, geographic information systems, and digital literacy
Ph.D., Sociology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,08.2006 to 08.2008, transferred
- Course work equivalent to a masters with emphasis on science and technology studies, race and ethnicity
- Classes included social science research methods (ethnography, interviews, surveys, intermediate statistics), classical sociology theory, exploration into individual topics of identity and racism, art interactivity and interface design
- Masters paper: The Facebook Project: Performance and Construction of Digital Identity
B.A., Sociology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 05.2006
- Graduation with honors, minor in computer science
- Course work and senior projects included seminar research on Facebook, designing accessible web resources, black leadership and ICTs, community history and racism in Illinois and initial teaching assistant experience
- Helped to found, lead or participate in over a dozen student and community organizations
Academic Employment
Syllabus, assignments, lesson plans and showcases of student work available upon request.
Instructor, Informatics Minor and GSLIS curriculum, GSLIS, UIUC
Programming Web Mashups (Spring 2012, Spring 2013)
Class updated to include recent web technologies and platforms
Emphasis on student-driven and peer-to-peer learning in a mixed studio format
Instructor, Informatics Minor, GSLIS, UIUC
The Design of Usable Information Interfaces (Fall 2011, Fall 2012)
Completely reworked the class to emphasize ethical, human and artistic factors of design
Added updated readings, assignments, guest speakers and a field trip to the CUC Fabrication Lab
Community Outreach and Programming, Champaign Urbana Community Fab Lab
Funded through a public engagement grant
Led numerous workshops, sustained relationships with partner organizations, created
and documented curriculum, updated website and computer lab, and presented a paper
Overseen by Betty Barrett (Summer 2012)
Research Assistant, Center for Digital Inclusion, GSLIS, UIUC
Designed and developed the CDI website and general GSLIS Wordpress theme
Conducted digital literacy workshops for the UC2B high school interns
Overseen by Sharon Irish (Summer 2012)
Teaching Assistant, LEEP, GSLIS, UIUC
Libraries, Information and Society (Summer 2010, 2011 for Leigh Estabrook)
Teaching Assistant, Community Informatics Curriculum, GSLIS, UIUC
Community Engagement (Spring 2011 for Abdul Alkalimat)
Helped to provide coordination between students, community and faculty, assisted with field
trips and conferences, taught video production and assisted with class lecture/discussion
Instructor, Informatics Minor, GSLIS, UIUC
Web Technologies and Techniques (Fall 2010)
Shifted course focus to include entrepreneurship and graphic design
Overhauled class with new readings, assignments and guest speakers
Teaching Assistant, Informatics Minor, GSLIS, UIUC
Social Aspects of Information Systems (Fall 2009 for Gail Taylor, Spring 2010 for Lori Kendall)
Research Assistant, Community Informatics Initiative, GSLIS, UIUC
IMLS grant and program evaluation research (Fall 2008-Spring 2009 for Ann Bishop)
Provided advanced technical skills and multimedia production support
Teaching Assistant, Department of Sociology, UIUC
Introduction to Sociology (Fall 2007-Spring 2008 for Heather Downs)
Social Perceptions of the Family(Spring 2007 for Ray Muhammad)
Social Research Methods(Spring 2007 for Assata Zerai)
Intergroup Dialogue Facilitator, Program on Intergroup Relations, UIUC
Dialogue on Race and Ethnicity(Spring 2007 for Joe Minarik, Joycelyn Landrum-Brown)
Co-facilitated with Andre Bean
www.eol199ig5.blogspot.com
Awards and Honors
List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent (Fall 2007, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2012, Fall 2012)
Organizations
Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab, 2012-present
- The Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab is a small-scale workshop for computer-based innovation, design and fabrication. The Fab Lab allows learners to dream up, design and make almost anything they can imagine using open source software and DIY equipment
- See http://cucfablab.org/ for examples, pictures and a knowledge base
- Operations Lead – help to oversee day-to-day operation and strategic planning with a team of core volunteers and staff
- Much like running a small non-profit, this job entails many tasks: (1) program and curriculum development, (2) recruiting and managing staff and volunteers, (3) community engagement and media production, (4) equipment acquisition, upgrades and maintenance, (5) research, evaluation and publishing and more
- References include Betty Barrett, Dean Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Robert McGrath, Lisa Bievenue and Gary Watson
Community Informatics Club, 2008-present
- Founded and helped to lead the CI club, a social-service organization for students interested in networking and helping their local community
- See http://youtu.be/_pBjjW2E2Mg for an overview
- Conducted numerous volunteer and education projects in collaboration with community groups in Champaign county, East St. Louis, and Chicago (see service, below)
- The club was key to forming and retaining the Urbana Free Library technology volunteers, http://www.urbanafreelibrary.org/library/internet/techvolunteers.php
- Awarded a 2500$ grant by UIUC student affairs for outstanding, cutting-edge community service
- Advised by Ann Bishop, Sharon Irish and Martin Wolske
- Archived website at www.communityinformaticsprojects.com/ciclub
Eclectic Design and Research Group, 2011-present
- PhD students tackle design challenges on a weekly basis
- Hosted workshops at iSchools 2012, 2013
- Overseen by Professor Mike Twidale
Social Informatics Reading Group, 2011-2012
- Casual support for PhD students facing a variety of issues, including research proposals, field exams and teaching
Social, Community and Organizational Informatics Reading Group, 2011
- Participated in the review and development of multiple dissertation proposals
- Overseen by Professor Jon Gant
GSLIS Action Group, 2011
- Organizing around student MLIS support and social justice issues
Research Writing Group, 2010-2011
- An interdisciplinary paper workshop group to help students better understand and share ideas from different aspects of LIS
- Overseen by Professor Dave Dubin, 2010-2011
Association of Undergraduate Sociologists, 2003-2008
- Helped to found and lead the University’s only Sociology registered student organization
- Planned and participated in a variety of professional development and volunteer activities
Beckwith Hall Training and Web Accessibility, Spring 2006
- Constructed a new accessible training web site for Beckwith Hall, an assisted living residence hall. Helped integrate accessibility for people with disabilities into numerous web resources
- Overseen by Jon Gunderson
Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, 2005-2008
- Served as an executive officer and coordinated the Faces of Feminism discussion panel and helped to represent the group at the Midwest Feminist Majority Conference
Sexual Health Peers, 2005-2006
- Volunteered as a Sexual Health coordinator and workshop presenter for the Peer Education Unit of the McKinley Health Foundation
Avalanche, 2004-2005
- Founded and led the Housing Student Organization Avalanche – A program intensive community based solution to the social problem of college age drinking
I was a cyberorganizer (webmaster++) for all of these organizations. See pictures in my web portfolio.
Service (Community Informatics Projects)
See organizations (above) for more information about CI Club and the Fab Lab.
Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab, 2012-present
- Helped to continue, and in some cases establish, relationships with several local organizations. Events ranged from long-term (6-9 week) collaborations to limited (1-2 day) workshops
- Groups include The Urbana Free Library (librarians and tech volunteers), Tap In Leadership Academy (summer series 2012), the Boys and Girls Club, UC2B Interns, Out of the Mouths of Babes (IMC), Stratton Elementary teachers and kids from a local homeschool group
- Curriculum material can be explored at https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B-0Hvavef7S5U1FHM0hpeXdCMDg/edit?usp=sharing
- Reference Mary K Watson and Robert McGrath (Fab Lab leaders)
Community Informatics Club project overview: http://www.communityinformaticsprojects.org/ciclub/projects-mentioned-in-our-youtube-video/
Rantoul Public Library, Urbana Free Library, Champaign Public Library: Douglass Branch, 2008-present
- Developed and ran multi-day digital literacy workshops, including Storytelling in [stop] Motion, creating video games with GameMaker and Fab Lab machines in the Teen Tech Series
- Worked with kids of many ages, from 5th grade to 10th grade, as well as parents and librarians
- Reference Violet Lapine (Rantoul), Joel Spencer (Urbana) and Essie Harris (Douglass)
New Hope Academy, 2012-present
- Wrote and secured a 3000$ grant from the City of Champaign to obtain new equipment and hire someone to teach classes
- Developed and led digital literacy workshops (creating videogames, learning computer hardware), rebuilt and setup two computer labs (hardware, software, network, policy)
- Reference Pastor Charles Nash (New Hope) and Jeff Hamilton (Champaign City)
Shadow Wood Mobile Homes, 2012-2013
- Updated and rebuilt computers with Spanish Language support in Linux, added Microsoft Office machines for adults, helped kids play games and do homework
- Reference Pam Dempsey (CU-CitizenAccess)
Tap In Leadership Academy, 2011-2012
- Assisted with various digital literacy workshops, including helping kids to use multimedia equipment to plan, capture and edit video interviews and additional programs with the CUC Fab Lab, see http://new.tapinacademy.org/ for more information about Tap In
- Reference Sally Carter (Director)
Dorsey Family Homes (housing project, now demolished), 2011
- Updated computers, created a video documentary, spent a little time with the kids
- Reference Margaret Neil (previous director)
Joseph Center (Eagle’s Nest Homeless Services), East St. Louis, 2009-2010
- Computer and lab setup and repair, provided open computer help to residents, created a website (http://www.thejosephcenter.org/)
- Reference Martha Watts (Director)
Independent Media Center, 2008-2011
- Worked with several groups, projects included organizing the Zine Library, volunteering with Books to Prisoners and hosting a radio show on WRFU
- Reference Chris Ritzo (volunteer)
Early American History Museum (now Museum of the Grand Prairie), Mahomet, 2009-2010
- Helped to inventory and digitize the unique Doris K. Wylie Hoskins Archive on Cultural Diversity
- Reference Cheryl Kennedy (Director)
Center for Women in Transition, 2009
- Weeded, organized, relabeled, redistributed and digitized the children’s book collection with laptops and LibraryThing
Katherine Dunham Archives, East St. Louis, 2008
- Rescued and digitized documents and artifacts related to the legacy of Catherine Dunham and the historic black community
- Reference Noah Lenstra (PhD student, GSLIS, UIUC)
I am also an Eagle Scout. I renovated a bird sanctuary to make it accessible again back in 2002.
Posters
Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab: Community MiniLabs, Public Engagement Symposium, UIUC, 02.2013
GSLIS Student Community Engagement 2012, Public Engagement Symposium, UIUC, 04.2012
Enabling Spatial Data Infrastructure Development: Collaboration, Supportive Web Technologies and São Tomé, iSchools iConference 2011, Seattle, 01.2011
Community Informatics Club, Public Engagement Symposium, UIUC, 04.2011
Exploring Methods in Community Informatics, iSchools iConference 2010, UIUC, 02.2010
Academic Workshops
Twidale, M., Ginger, J. Organisciak, P., Floyd, I., Smith, B. (2013). “Tech Learning Potluck” and “Design Jams in iSchools: Approaches, and examples,” iSchools iConference 2013, Fort Worth, 02.2013
Twidale, M., Ginger, J. Organisciak, P., Floyd, I. (2012). “Design Jam Session: Approaches, Challenges and Examples, iSchools iConference 2012, Toronto, 02.2012
Presentations
Building Capacity for Innovation through a Local Community Fab Lab Network, Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago, 11.2012
- I presented for a coalition of leaders at Harold Washington, including Chicago Public Library (Brian Bannon), YouMedia (Yolande Wilburn), Nettelhorst Schools (Ted Ganchiffe), and DePaul University (Scott Walter). I was brought in as a consultant to help them start their own community Fab Lab network
- View the Pecha Kucha (short version) of the talk, given at GSLIS in a Flash, UIUC, 10.2012 at http://youtu.be/6ct8xlZgfFE
- I gave a community-oriented version of the talk at Bridging the Digital Divide: A Resource and Information Fair to Identify and Improve Digital Media Literacy Programs in Champaign on 10.2012
- User Experience Design, a presentation to the Illinois IDEA organization at UIUC, 10.2012
- http://www.communityinformaticsprojects.org/files/IDEATalk.UXD.10.2012.pptx
Fostering Digital Literacies with Storytelling in [Stop] Motion, GSLIS in a Flash, UIUC, 10.21.2011
- View the Pecha Kucha (short version) talk at http://youtu.be/LqXZwT-Kb9M
The São Tomé Map Project: Empowering People through Geographic Information Systems, GIS Fair 2009, UIUC, 12.2009
Uncovering Racism on Facebook, a follow-up, a presentation to Dene Grigar’s class, DTC 475, Washington State University, Vancouver, 07.2009
- Carried out over Skype, based on this paper: http://thefacebookproject.com/research/jeff/publications/DTC475Talk.doc
Facebook and Ubiquitous Learning, HASTAC conference 2009, UIUC, 04.2009
- Based on this larger presentation: http://www.thefacebookproject.com/research/jeff/publications/FacebookLearning.pdf
- Based on this paper (starts on page 7): http://www.thefacebookproject.com/research/jeff/publications/ExploringUbiquitousLearning.pdf
- Given as part of a larger presentation with Caroline Haythornthwaite and Mike Twidale
Web2.0 Resources and the Digital Divide: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, presentation to the Mortenson Associates, UIUC, 10.2008
The Facebook Project: Social Capital and the Chief, Ethnography of the University Initiative Student Conference, UIUC, 11.2007
Papers
Ginger, J., McGrath, R. Barrett, B. & McCreary, V. (2012). “Mini Labs: Building Capacity For Innovation through a Local Community Fab Lab Network” Fab8nz (agenda), Wellington, New Zealand 2012 http://cucfablab.org/blog/cu-fab-lab-presents-fab8nz
Ginger, J. (2009). “Storytelling in [Stop] Motion.” VO[I]CES, 2(1), 9. Available online at the Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship, IDEALS http://www.ideals.illinois.edu/handle/2142/15482
Ginger, J. (2008). "The Facebook Project - The Missing Box: The Racial Politics Behind the Facebook Interface." Available online at the Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship, IDEALS. http://www.ideals.uiuc.edu/handle/2142/8816
- First follow-up: http://facebookprojectqa.blogspot.com/2011/01/filling-in-missing-box.html
- Second follow-up: http://facebookprojectqa.blogspot.com/2012/11/facebook-has-boxes.html
Ginger, J. (2008). "The Facebook Project - Social Capital and the Chief." Available online at the Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship, IDEALS. http://www.ideals.uiuc.edu/handle/2142/3669
Ginger, J. (2008). “Digital Divide 2.0: African American Communities and Library Resources in Illinois" Available online at the Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship, IDEALS. http://www.ideals.uiuc.edu/handle/2142/8817
LoDolce, K., Ayad, M., Ginger, J., McCauley, S., Thompson, A., Williams, K., Jamali, B. (2008). “Prairienet and community networking: An annotated bibliography.” Available online at the Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship, IDEALS. http://www.ideals.illinois.edu/handle/2142/8863
I have no formally published papers in peer reviewed journals. A somewhat recent course paper listing is available online at http://www.communityinformaticsprojects.org/scholarship.html
Other Work Experience
Computer/Network Technician, UIUC, Housing Division, 2003-2007
- Extensive computer technician experience, also includes work for CDW (intern) during the summer
Web Designer/Developer, ROC Group Chicago (intern) and numerous University groups, 2002-2007
- Comprehensive web design, development and deployment experience for student, professional and academic organizations
Technical Skills
For example work please see my portfolio.
Expert - considerable experience and constant use over many years
- Code: HTML(5), CSS(3)
- Web: Adobe Dreamweaver
- Video: Adobe Premiere, Windows MovieMaker
- Graphics: Adobe Fireworks, Inkscape
- Office: Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint and Outlook (all versions)
- OS: Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2000, 98/ME, 95
Functional Aptitude - moderate experience and consistent use over a few years
- Code: JavaScript, XML, php, MySQL
- Web: Wordpress, Omeka, Drupal, Gallery, Wikimedia, NVDA screen reader
- Video, Rendering, Graphics: Adobe AfterEffects, Photoshop, Illustrator, iMovie, Blender, several 3D printing/scanning applications
- Office: Adobe Acrobat Pro, Microsoft Office Excel, Access and Publisher (all versions)
- Audio: Cakewalk Sonar and a variety of MIDI softsynths and packages, Goldwave
- Development: Virtualbox, Aptana Studio local server clients like Xampp
- GIS: ESRI ArcGIS, Google Maps API
- Platforms: XBMC and media scraping techniques
- Security: Virus and spyware trouble-shooting with a variety of programs, backup and imaging techniques for network installs and management
- OS: Windows 8, OSX (Tiger through Lion), Ubuntu (and derivations since 8.04)
Notable Familiarity - haven't used them in a while (or much), but could (re)learn quickly
- Code: C++, Visual Basic, Java, ASPX, ActionScript2.0
- Video: Adobe Flash
- Audio: Sony SoundForge
- Development: Microsoft Visual Studio
“Soft” Skills – often related to the above
- User experience design, information architecture, usability and accessibility (design)
- Rapid prototyping and phased-fabrication for varied applications (invention)
- Teaching, leadership and organization (people management)
- Qualitative and quantitative social science research techniques (audience studies)
- Critical sociology and divergent thinking skills (cultural studies)
- Editing, production and promotion (storytelling)
- Context-based writing, speech and graphic design (communication)