3141 Chestnut Street • Randell Hall, Suite 235 • Philadelphia, PA 19104-2875 • TEL 215.895.6372 • FAX 215.895.2142 • www.drexel.edu/international
Julia Hildebrand, M.A. Graduate Student College of Arts and Sciences – Department of Communication Conference Attendance Attending the 2015 Geomedia Conference at Karlstad in Sweden from May 5th to 8th was a fruitful and inspiring experience. The University of Karlstad proved to be a well-­‐organized host that was able to invite 84 participants from 19 different countries around the world. Along with my graduate advisor Dr. Mimi Sheller, who gave a highly relevant keynote, I was happy to represent Drexel University at this wonderful event. Karlstad University (Photo: Hans M. Karlsson)
Dr. Mimi Sheller giving her keynote speech (Photo: Julia Hildebrand)
One of the major goals of this conference was to outline the field of communication geography, which lies at the intersection of geography, media, and communication studies. The variety of disciplines contributing to the discussions was impressive ranging from Internet and film studies to human geography and mobilities research. I greatly benefitted from interacting with some of the international researchers and their different approaches to understanding what constitutes and defines “geomedia.” Now, a few weeks after the meeting, I am continuing the thought-­‐provoking conversations via email with scholars from Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Sweden, and The Netherlands. Meeting and interacting with these scholars in person in Karlstad enabled me to establish valuable ties. With one of these contacts, I am now developing ideas for collaborating on a related research topic, ideally resulting in a co-­‐authored publication. Presenting at Geomedia (Photo: Katrina Macapagal)
3141 Chestnut Street • Randell Hall, Suite 235 • Philadelphia, PA 19104-2875 • TEL 215.895.6372 • FAX 215.895.2142 • www.drexel.edu/international
Regarding possible publications, the conference organizers have also announced the publication of conference proceedings. Several presentations will be included in these proceedings and the organizers will reach out to the individual presenters in the following months. Apart from this opportunity for circulating my current research project, I will also submit the presented paper to a scholarly journal. I received constructive feedback after my talk at Geomedia and appreciated the chance to further hone my approach. As for promoting Drexel University’s presence on this international platform, I was able to introduce Drexel University and particularly the College of Arts and Sciences to several international faculty members and graduate students. Having brought a stack of brochures and flyers about graduate programs offered in Drexel’s College of Arts and Sciences, I distributed them among the attendees and pinned them onto several information boards of Karlstad University. Karlstad, Sweden (Photo: geomedia.se)
Lastly, I found out that Karlstad University offers several study abroad opportunities for international and specifically US undergraduate students. “Chance of placement for US students in generally good,” I was told and located at the heart of Scandinavia Karlstad makes for an ideal study abroad destination. The thriving cities of Stockholm, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, and Oslo are only a few hours by train or bus away. Furthermore, the university’s president and the faculty I interacted with seem to be highly engaged researchers, teachers, and mentors. Information on the diverse programs Karlstad University offers, how their academic year is set up, and how one can apply, can be found at: http://www.isep.org/students/directory/member_site.asp?CSID=220&ID=325 I warmly thank the Office of International Programs for their generous support towards attendance at this conference. Please feel free to contact me with any questions about the Geomedia Conference, Karlstad University, or the City of Karlstad by sending an email to jmh484@drexel.edu.