I am a PhD. student at the Indiana University School of Journalism where I am trying to get my head around what is happening in the media world, particularly in journalism.There is a good bit of trepidation in academia about what purpose a journalism degree will serve in the future. Students are a little nervous; professors and administrators are very nervous. I am hoping this site will help me understand what is going on a little better.

I am interested particularly in the rise of participatory journalism and in the people, sites and organizations that are pushing the boundaries of journalism. I am working on a project that examines the journalistic qualities of IRC transmissions, blogs and sites like Wikipedia. I am keenly interested in Wikipedia as a model of information dispersal that seems doable. I am also intrigued by the amount of scorn it draws, both from within the ranks of academia and journalism.

I am also interested in the way teach journalism and the purpose journalism education serves within the academy, the industry and society.

Prior to returning to school I was a journalist for several years in Latvia, the Czech Republic, Alaska, the British Virgin Islands and Pennsylvania.