I’m thrilled to announce that the Center for Information Policy Research is welcoming Dr. Rina Ghose as the 2012-2013 Senior Research Fellow.

Dr. Ghose is an associate professor in the UW-Milwaukee Department of Geography, with research interests in Critical GIS/GIS and Society, which aims to critically examine the intertwined relationships between GIS and society through the lens of various social theories. Specifically, Dr. Ghose’s research examines ethical and legal issues related to “big geographic data” systems (such as GPS and RFID systems), as well as concerns of equitable access to GIS systems and data for citizen participation and activism.

Some of Dr. Ghose’s recent publications and presentations include:

• 2012. Ghose, R. “Qualitative GIS in Urban Justice Research”. Paper presentation at the International GIScience Conference, Columbus, Ohio, 18-21 September.
• 2012 Mukherjee, F. and Ghose, R. “Exploring the Complexities of Community Engaged GIS”, International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research. Vol.3, no. 4, 87-102.
• 2012 Day, P. and Ghose, R. “E-Planning through the Wisconsin Land Information Program: The Contexts of Power, Politics and Scale”. International Journal of E-Planning Research, vol. 1, no. 1, 75-89.

As a Senior Research Fellow at CIPR, Dr. Ghose will collaborate with CIPR Director Dr. Michael Zimmer on research projects projects related to GIS and society, especially focused on the ethical and policy dimensions of “big data” within the GIS context.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Ghose at her October 19 lunch presentation on “Bridging the Geospatial Divide through Public Participation GIS“. Details here.

Call for Applicants: CIPR Senior Research Fellow

The Center for Information Policy Research (CIPR) is seeking a Senior Research Fellow for the 2012-2013 academic year.

Established in 1998 within the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Information Studies (SOIS), CIPR is a multidisciplinary research center for the study of the intersections between the policy, ethical, political, social and legal aspects of the global information society. CIPR facilitates information policy research through its research agenda, lecture series, consulting and outreach, focusing on such key information policy issues as privacy, intellectual freedom, intellectual property, access to information, censorship, and the complex array of government, corporate, and global information practices and policies (see http://www4.uwm.edu/cipr/about/). A particular focus for CIPR in 2012-2013 is “big data.”

The Senior Research Fellow position has been created to provide a senior scholar the opportunity to participate in the intellectual community of CIPR and SOIS. UWM faculty in all departments who hold the rank of assistant, associate, or full professor may apply.

Terms of the Fellowship:

• The Senior Research Fellow is 1-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal.
• Duties include: collaborate with Center personnel on research projects as appropriate, participate in Center events and outreach efforts, and provide informal mentoring to SOIS students with aligned interests.
• For 2012-2013, the Fellow is expected to co-author a major, collaborative research grant proposal with the CIPR Director, focusing on information policy issues related to “big data.”
• The Fellow will be provided dedicated workspace within CIPR, and have access to SOIS support functions (grant writing, front office, business office, IT support).
• The Fellow will receive compensation of 1/9th of the previous academic year salary, payable in summer 2013, in accordance with UW System policy.

Application Information:

Please submit the following materials, preferably as .pdf files, as e-mail attachments to Dr. Michael Zimmer, CIPR Director, at zimmerm@uwm.edu:

• letter explaining your research agenda and its appropriateness to CIPR, broadly, as well as a brief proposal for a major, collaborative research grant proposal focusing on “big data.”
• curriculum vitae
• recent article, manuscript (article length), or other appropriate example of your research

Deadline for applications is August 31, 2012. Decisions to be made by September 15, 2012, with appointment commencing upon acceptance.

For more information, please contact Dr. Michael Zimmer, CIPR Director, at zimmerm@uwm.edu.