Today, we are very excited to announce THATcamp Columbus, to be held January 15th-16th 2010. Because we want to create a community at and leading up to the event, we can only accept around 50 attendees, so if you already know about THATcamp, go apply now. If you are not familiar with THATcamp, check out columbus2010.thatcamp.org for more information, or read on below. The event is free (though small donations are encouraged), and promises to be a fun and engaging opportunity to share your research, and to connect with and learn from a diverse range of educators, researchers, cultural activists, and professionals in the humanities.
Whether you are planning on attending or cannot make it, please pass this message on to your friends, colleagues, and even top students in Ohio and beyond. Tweet it, blog it, put it on FaceBook, send an email, post to LISTSERVs and message boards, print it out and bring it to your next meeting. This is a community-driven event. There is no keynote speaker. There are no vendors. THATcamp Columbus will only be as good as those attending.
The following is reprinted with permission from columbus2010.thatcamp.org
What is THATcamp?
THATCamp (The Humanities And Technology Camp) is a user-generated “unconference” on digital humanities inspired by the Center for History and New Media (CHNM) at George Mason University.
At the THATcamp 2009, CHNM floated the idea of holding regional camps around the country, an idea that quickly took hold, leading to events in Austin, Texas (THATcamp Austin) and Washington state (THATcamp Pacific Northwest), as well as a planned event in Michigan (THATcamp Great Lakes).
THATcamp Columbus, a collaborative effort of the Ohio Humanities Council and the Center for Public History and Digital Humanities at Cleveland State University, will be held in January 2010 in Columbus, Ohio.
What is an “unconference”?
According to Wikipedia, an unconference is “a conference where the content of the sessions is created and managed by the participants, generally day-by-day during the course of the event, rather than by one or more organizers in advance of the event.” An unconference is not a spectator event. Participants in an unconference are expected to present their work, share their knowledge, and actively collaborate with fellow participants rather than simply attend.
Who should attend?
Anyone with energy and an interest in digital humanities. That includes academics, librarians, archivists, cultural activists, curators, students, educators, and professionals in all fields where technology and the humanities collide.
What should I propose?
That’s up to you. Sessions at THATCamp will range from software demos to training sessions to discussions of research findings to half-baked rants (but please no full-blown papers; we’re not here to read or be read to). You should come to THATCamp with something in mind, and on the first day find a time, a place, and people to share it with. Once you’re at THATCamp, you may also find people with similar topics and interests to team up with for a joint session. You might want to check out the original THATcamp blog or some of the regional camps to get an idea of the scope of topics, but don’t feel limited by those examples. If it falls under the topic of the humanities and technology, and impacts you, your organization, or the field of digital humanities (broadly defined) then it’s fair game.
Where and when will THATCamp be held?
The event will be held on Friday January 15th and Saturday, January 16th, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. We’ve yet to set an exact location so get in touch if you live or work in Columbus and want to help out!
Where’s the schedule? When is THATCamp?
We’ll create the entire schedule on Day 1, but the important parts go as follows: Day 1 begins with registration from 8:30-9 (breakfast included), and we’ll begin promptly at 9am. Day 1 will end at 5:30pm, and we’ll resume for day 2 at with breakfast (yes, we’ll have lots of coffee) at 8:30am and sessions beginning at 9am. Following Day 2 sessions, we will hold a panel discussion, inviting institutional stakeholders to join in the dialogue.
How do I sign up?
Unfortunately, we only have space for 40-50 participants, so we have to do some vetting. The application form is here: http://thatcampcolumbus.org/about/apply.
Apply Now!
How much?
THATCamp Columbus is free to all attendees, but a $25 donation towards materials, snacks, beverages, and t-shirts (yes, t-shirts!) will be much appreciated by the organizers.
How do I sponsor THATCamp?
A limited number of sponsorships are available to corporations and non-profits. Shoot us an email at thatcampcolumbus@gmail.com.