KMDI-Semaphore Speaker Series – Sara Grimes

Sara M. Grimes:

Praxis and Partners: Building a Collaborative, Cross-Sector Research Agenda, from Kids DIY Media to KMDI-Semaphore.

Abstract:

In this talk, Dr. Grimes introduces the rationale, goals, and long-term vision of the upcoming merger of the Knowledge Media Design Institute and the Semaphore Lab—an amalgamation of two dynamic institutions that will create new opportunities for design-oriented research and research-oriented design aimed at addressing the complex relationships between information, technology, and society, in ways that protect the rights and enrich the lives of humans. Dr. Grimes presents a research agenda for KMDI-Semaphore centred on facilitating collaboration across faculty, disciplines and sectors, and explains how her previous experience as Principal Investigator of the Kids DIY Media Partnership will inform her approach. Successes, challenges, and “lessons learned” from previous cross-sector research initiatives will be explored, and the importance of inclusivity, flexibility, and responsiveness in generating impactful research findings and useful deliverables will be discussed.

About Our Speaker

Sara M. Grimes is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Information, Director of the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI), and Director of the Semaphore Lab at the University of Toronto. Her work is centered in the areas of children’s digital media culture(s), play studies, and critical theories of technology, with a focus on digital games. She is Principal Investigator of the Kids DIY Media Partnership, a SSHRC-funded, cross-sector research collaboration aimed at understanding the opportunities and challenges associated with children’s media making and cultural production online. She also leads the Critical Games Lab at Semaphore. Sara’s published work includes explorations of the commercialization of children’s online games and virtual worlds, articulations of a critical theory of digital game play, discussions of intellectual property and fair dealing in digital game environments, as well as an examination of the hidden politics and policy implications of children’s commercial game design and culture.