Join us in Halifax on October 12 to find out more about our Masters of Information Management. Our online blended format allows you to learn while you work.
IM Public Lecture (Ryan Whalen)
The Information Management Public Lectures give attention to exciting advances in research and professional practice. The topics are diverse reflecting the importance and global extent of Information Management in today’s society. The lectures are open to all members of the Dalhousie campus and surrounding community. When feasible, recordings of the lectures are posted for wider circulation. For the full schedule, visit the Public Lecture page of our website.
Complex Innovation & the Patent System
Ryan Whalen
School of Information Management, Dalhousie University
Lecture Details
Thursday, September 22nd, 2016
5:35-6:35pm *embedded in the class INFO 5500: Information in Society
Room 1011, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building, 6100 University Avenue
Abstract: As the universe of available information becomes larger and innovation becomes more complex, the task of examining patent applications becomes increasingly difficult. This project demonstrates that the United States Patent Office has insufficiently responded to changes in the information universe and to innovation norms, leaving the Patent Office less able to adequately assess patent applications, and more likely to grant bad patents.
After first demonstrating how innovation has been responsive to contemporary innovation norms for hundreds of years, this project uses information and data science methods to empirically demonstrate how innovation has drastically changed in recent decades. After empirically demonstrating the changed innovation system and the inadequate response to these changes by the Patent Office, this presentation concludes with policy prescriptions aimed to help the Patent Office implement examination procedures adequate to assess 21stcentury innovation. These prescriptions include more granular crediting for the time spent by examiners assessing applications, an increased focus on teamwork at the Patent Office, improvements to the inter partes review process, and alterations to the analogous art doctrine.
Biography: Ryan Whalen is a faculty member of Dalhousie University’s School of Information Management. His research focuses on innovation policy, intellectual property law, and computational social science. He holds a JD from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, and a PhD in Media, Technology, and Society from Northwestern University.
NOTE: We encourage you to attend in person, but if that is not possible you can access an audio recording + slides on our website following the lecture (a notice will be sent when posted). Web streaming is not currently available.
What’s The Word? Come Find Out This Saturday!
The Word on the Street Halifax is this Saturday and SIM has a booth! Whether you just came from El Jones’s poetry reading or are on your way to hear about strange Nova Scotia folklore from Vernon Oickle, stop by and say “hi” to SIM staff at the Front Plaza (map here) of the Central Library.
The Festival runs from 11am – 4pm. For more information on this amazing event (and see just how they are able to pack so many interesting things into one day) visit http://thewordonthestreet.ca/halifax/
Student job posting: Peer educator
Job PostingID 56687
Position: Peer Educator
The Dalhousie University Human Rights Equity and Harassment Prevention Office (HREHP) is currently recruiting for the 2016-2017 Peer Educator team. Peer Educators facilitate peer-to-peer programs that support the mandates of the HREHP office. The Peer Educator team is made up of 4-6 Peer Educators. Peer Educators are also known as Respect Reps.
HREHPis looking to hire a diverse and dynamic Peer Educator Team of all gender identities.
The mandate of the Human Rights Equity and Harassment Prevention Office is to foster and support an inclusive working and learning environment where all members of the University community share responsibility for establishing and maintaining a climate of respect.
The Peer Educator Team will be hired for the 2016-2017 academic year. They will be expected to start in late September 2016 and end April 2017.
Job Requirements:
- Must be registered as a Dalhousie student for the 2016/17 academic year
- Interest in the office of HREPH mandate and initiatives
- Experience organizing, coordinating and promoting campaigns, or activities
- Time management skills and ability to take initiative
- Planning, research and organizational skills
- Strong team working skills and ability to work independently
- Must be available for occasional evening and weekend shifts
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Working with the larger Peer Educator Program Team;
- Facilitate workshops for different groups on topics related to Consent, Sexual Violence, Respect, Inclusion, Anti-Discrimination and Harassment;
- Attend bi-weekly team meetings to debrief and for continued development opportunities.
- Aid in the development of and facilitation of social media platforms;
- Assist in promoting HREHP Workshop series and services across campus i.e. Information booths etc.
- Maintain regular weekly office hours on-site at the HREHP office;
- Act as a resource referral for community members;
- Ensure the adoption of tools and best practices appropriate to needs;
- Ensure liaison with individuals and entities of interest to the HREHP mandate;
- Complete reports and database related documentation.
Members of the Peer Educator Team will be financially compensated for their work ($12/hrx 10hr/wk).
Individuals interested in applying for this position should submit a Cover Letter and Resume throughMyCareer: https://mycareer.dal.ca/login/student.htm
Applications are due at 11:59 pm AST onWednesday, September 14th, 2016. Interviews will be held Monday, September 19 (1pm-3pm) and Tuesday, September 20 (1pm-3:30pm). Please specify in your application which date and time you prefer.
Please be aware there will be a mandatory training on Sunday, September 25 from 9am – 4pm.
We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Domenic Rosati Chosen as the 2016 Recipient of the Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Fund
The School of Information Management is pleased to announce that Master of Library and Information Studies student, Domenic Rosati, has been selected as the fourth recipient of the Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Fund.
This Fund was established in 2007 to honour Dr. Norman Horrocks, OC, PhD, FCLIP (1927-2010) for his outstanding leadership in the field of librarianship in North America, Australia, and Europe. Over several decades Dr. Horrocks, former Director of the School of Information Management and Dean of the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University, pursued a distinguished career of very active involvement in professional associations in the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Australia, the United States, and Canada. His many contributions, for which he received local, national and international recognition, have advanced the field and the careers of countless individuals. The fund supports a scholarship and an associated lecture series through an endowment donated by the many former students, colleagues, friends and admirers of Norman Horrocks.
Domenic Rosati is a 2nd year Master of Library and Information Studies student at Dalhousie University, with a background in both computer science and history. His main interests concern how robust and scalable information systems or processes can be used to solve problems or open new avenues of information collection and discovery. In his words: “The lifecycle of the digital record looms particularly large in my estimation of the future of information management. While I tend to think digitally, archival practice of acquisition, appraisal, arrangement and description are still important to how I view designing information systems. Programming, particularly using JavaScript and Python, tends to be my tool of choice for testing IM concepts.”
Domenic has work experience in various archival and records management settings, and some recent projects include collections assessment of born-digital records in the Dalhousie Archives, the testing and analysis of the Gitbook publishing platform, and the implementation of a crowdsourced transcription web application with the Nova Scotia Archives. He is currently working with the Dalhousie University Archives and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in order to collect, preserve, and make their records available. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his partner and two kids, and is a voracious reader of reference and textbooks.