Maggie Giles is full of surprises. Her books take readers down a path of twists and turns. Her bright, cheery personality stands in stark contrast to her dark story lines. She was never strong in English as a student, but always loved telling …
Faculty of Information and Media Studies
Kubrick’s AI nightmare, 50 years later
As David Bowman – the surviving crew member aboard the Discovery One spacecraft in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey – disassembles HAL 9000, the sentient computer pleads in an affectless, monotone voice: “I’m afraid, Dave.” “Dave, my mind is going. I can feel...
Award empowers student to take next step
Angela McInnes, journalist, has finally arrived. “It’s cool to know that not only am I’m going to be paid for my craft, but I can finally put that first,” said the Master of Media in Journalism & Communication student. “I’ve been juggling writing with school...
Alumna embraces ‘Yes, and …’ toward a better world
Jennifer Stranges first heard about cystic fibrosis (CF) as a frosh at Western during the Shinerama. Today, she is part of a dedicated corporate communications team at Cystic Fibrosis Canada, one of the world’s top charitable organizations committed to finding a cure for the disease.
Paterson following his passion for public policy
“Put yourself in a position where you’ll learn something new.” That’s advice Alex Paterson first heard at Western, and has applied throughout his career, from roles at the CBC and Greenpeace, to his current role as Director of Communications and Operations for Canada 2020.
MIT alumnus brings his vision to reality television
Mike Bickerton, BA’01, ran his own amazing race to get where he is today.
Study says Internet troll toll not always negative
Yimin Chen’s first experience with Internet trolls was in the early days of the worldwide web. Interested in “fairly nerdy and geeky stuff like comic books and video games” in chat rooms and forums, he found an online community where people shared interests, inside...
Play your role in protecting our fair-dealing rights
The federal government is currently conducting a five-year review of the Copyright Act. While there are several important policies that will be discussed, the most significant for the educational community is fair dealing. It is also likely to be the most contentious....
Faculties to showcase interest in interdisciplinary research
The academic space is a diverse place, composed of various forms of evidence. Increasingly, the conversation around what constitutes evidence, and what type of evidence ought to be applied to bring change, has become a critical topic of discussion. These factors have...
Weighing in on Vonnegut, zombie Shakespeare and ‘The Fatness’
If you can forgive Mark A. Rayner for not making it through ‘Ulysses’ – and we certainly can – read the Information and Media Studies professor’s take on ‘bookishness’ and his writing.
FRANKENSTEIN 200: Mary Shelley warned me there’d be days like this
As I stood with my arm hooked around a nearby support, lurching with the train, the pre-recorded male announcer’s voice on the intercom gave the usual orders: “Move over, make room at the doors.” Nobody shifted, except one teen who exhaled a bored “Whatever,” dragging out the ‘r’ for a few heartbeats.
Surf’s over: Reign of the data kings
I was holding a pack of blank DVDs in my hand and fretting over the price. It was 2004 when DVDs cost a buck each. How much would I have to spend to ensure I could restore my files when (not if) my computer crashed? The store owner saw my hesitation and called out in...
What the Laurier experience can show us about teaching and learning
The issues of freedom of speech and transgender rights, highlighted by recent events involving a teaching assistant at Wilfrid Laurier University, remind me of my first year as a university instructor in the late 1990s, when I taught a communications course on...
Kubrick’s AI nightmare, 50 years later
As David Bowman – the surviving crew member aboard the Discovery One spacecraft in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey – disassembles HAL 9000, the sentient computer pleads in an affectless, monotone voice: “I’m afraid, Dave.” “Dave, my mind is going. I can feel...
Award empowers student to take next step
Angela McInnes, journalist, has finally arrived. “It’s cool to know that not only am I’m going to be paid for my craft, but I can finally put that first,” said the Master of Media in Journalism & Communication student. “I’ve been juggling writing with school...
Alumna embraces ‘Yes, and …’ toward a better world
Jennifer Stranges first heard about cystic fibrosis (CF) as a frosh at Western during the Shinerama. Today, she is part of a dedicated corporate communications team at Cystic Fibrosis Canada, one of the world’s top charitable organizations committed to finding a cure for the disease.
Paterson following his passion for public policy
“Put yourself in a position where you’ll learn something new.” That’s advice Alex Paterson first heard at Western, and has applied throughout his career, from roles at the CBC and Greenpeace, to his current role as Director of Communications and Operations for Canada 2020.
MIT alumnus brings his vision to reality television
Mike Bickerton, BA’01, ran his own amazing race to get where he is today.
Study says Internet troll toll not always negative
Yimin Chen’s first experience with Internet trolls was in the early days of the worldwide web. Interested in “fairly nerdy and geeky stuff like comic books and video games” in chat rooms and forums, he found an online community where people shared interests, inside...
Play your role in protecting our fair-dealing rights
The federal government is currently conducting a five-year review of the Copyright Act. While there are several important policies that will be discussed, the most significant for the educational community is fair dealing. It is also likely to be the most contentious....
Faculties to showcase interest in interdisciplinary research
The academic space is a diverse place, composed of various forms of evidence. Increasingly, the conversation around what constitutes evidence, and what type of evidence ought to be applied to bring change, has become a critical topic of discussion. These factors have...
Weighing in on Vonnegut, zombie Shakespeare and ‘The Fatness’
If you can forgive Mark A. Rayner for not making it through ‘Ulysses’ – and we certainly can – read the Information and Media Studies professor’s take on ‘bookishness’ and his writing.
FRANKENSTEIN 200: Mary Shelley warned me there’d be days like this
As I stood with my arm hooked around a nearby support, lurching with the train, the pre-recorded male announcer’s voice on the intercom gave the usual orders: “Move over, make room at the doors.” Nobody shifted, except one teen who exhaled a bored “Whatever,” dragging out the ‘r’ for a few heartbeats.
Surf’s over: Reign of the data kings
I was holding a pack of blank DVDs in my hand and fretting over the price. It was 2004 when DVDs cost a buck each. How much would I have to spend to ensure I could restore my files when (not if) my computer crashed? The store owner saw my hesitation and called out in...
What the Laurier experience can show us about teaching and learning
The issues of freedom of speech and transgender rights, highlighted by recent events involving a teaching assistant at Wilfrid Laurier University, remind me of my first year as a university instructor in the late 1990s, when I taught a communications course on...