Anna Maj

Ph.D.
University of Silesia · Department of Philology

Media scientist and anthropologist, specialist in webnography, media education, accessibility in interaction design and mobile media. Philology doctor, assistant professor in the Institute of Cultural Studies at the University of Silesia. Author of a book "Media in Travel" and multiple research papers, scientific editor of 6 books in the subject of new media and communication (inter alia 4 in English). Leader of multiple research and educational projects, among others New Media Days project (with prof. Derrick de Kerckhove's participation), organiser of conferences and seminars on media. Cooperates with Inter-disciplinary Net (Oxford), CVHI (Glasgow), Ars Cameralis and Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice. Scientific Editor in ExMachina Academic Press, co-creator of the Cybergarden project of new media platform for Katowice in competition for European Capital of Culture 2016.

Research interests

  • Interests
    Usability, HCI, New Media, Assistive Technologies, Media Studies, Communication, Perception, Digital Memory, Cyber Arts, Transhumanism, Accessibility, cognitive studies, Media Anthropology, Information Architecture

Research experience

  • Teaching: From 2011 lecturer of communication and cultural animation in the Institute of Jazz at the Academy of Music in Katowice.
  • Teaching: From 2004 lecturer (and from 2008 Assistant Professor) in the Institute of Cultural Communication at the University of Silesia (new media
  • Teaching: theory of communication
  • Teaching: multimedia
  • Teaching: interactive media
  • Teaching: media education
  • Teaching: mass culture
  • Teaching: communication in information society
  • Teaching: audiovisual culture
  • Jun 2011–
    Oct 2011
    Research: Mindware. Technologies of Dialogue
    Warsztaty Kultury Institution of Culture, Lublin · Warsztaty Kultury Institution of Culture, Lublin
    Piotr Celiński (leader), Michał Derda-Nowakowski, Anna Nacher, Maciej Ożóg, Michał Brzeziński, Janina Prudenko, Marcin Skrzypek · Lublin
    Polish Presidency Program, MIndware,
  • Apr 2010
    Research: Cybergarden project
    Media Institute in Katowice
    media / design
  • May 2009–
    Dec 2009
    Research: Sharism, Googlism, Openism—New Cultural Paradigms. ICT and the Evolution of Connected Intelligence
    McLuhan Program University of Toronto · Philology · McLuhan Program University of Toronto
    Michał Derda-Nowakowski, Derrick de Kerckhove · Toronto
    sharing, Web 2.0, Google, open source, globalhood
  • Apr 2009–
    May 2010
    Research: Design of Assistive Technologies
    University of Glasgow · CVHI · University of Glasgow
    Michał Derda-Nowakowski · Wrocław, Poznań, Katowice
    assistive technologies, usability, accessible design, blind users, HCI
  • Dec 2008–
    Dec 2009
    Research: Cybercultures—Digital Memories
    Inter-disciplinary Net · Philology · Inter-disciplinary Net
    Salzburg, Oxford
    cyberculture, social networking, Web 2.0, digital memory, Twitter, blogging
  • Mar 2008–
    Dec 2008
    Research: Folksonomic Order of Knowledge: Towards the Ubiquitous Networked Society
    Ars Electronica, Universidad de Lisboa, Oxford University · Philology · Ars Electronica, Universidad de Lisboa, Oxford University
    Linz, Lisboa, Oxford
    folksonomy, knowledge, social constructivism, wiki, open source, social tagging, ubiquitous networked society
  • Jan 2008–
    Mar 2009
    Research: New Media Days
    University of Silesia · Philology · University of Silesia
    Katowice
    new media, perception, technical determinism, Marshall McLuhan, Derrick de Kerckhove
  • May 2007–
    Sep 2007
    Research: Translations of Liberty. Internet as Communication Tool in the Anthropological Perspective
    Universidad de Lisboa · Philology and IASA · Universidad de Lisboa
    Lisboa
    liberty, digital culture, open source
  • Jan 2007–
    Dec 2008
    Research: The Visual in Modern Travels. Colonialism, Anthropology and Photography
    University of Silesia · Philology · University of Silesia
    Katowice
    visual culture, colonialism, modern travels, photography, reproduction, travel theory

Education

  • Dec 2011
    FNP
    Polish Fundation for Science SKILLS Project: Self-presentation and Public Speaking Workshop
    Poland · Warsaw
  • Oct 2002–
    Jun 2006
    University of Silesia
    Media and Communication Studies · Ph.D.
    Poland · Katowice
  • Oct 1997–
    Jun 2002
    University of Silesia
    Cultural Studies / Film and Media · MA
    Poland · Katowice

Awards & achievements

  • Oct 2011
    Award: University of Silesia Rector's Individual Prize of III Degree for Research Activity
  • Oct 2011
    Scholarship: Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MNiSW) Grant for Outstanding Young Researchers
  • Oct 2011
    Scholarship: University of Silesia Rector's Individual Prize of III Degree for Research Activity
  • Jun 2010
    Scholarship: University of Silesia Rector's Distinction Grant for Active Researchers
  • Jul 2009
    Scholarship: Wicklow Fellowship
  • Apr 2009
    Scholarship: CVHI Project - Conferences for People with Vision and Hearing Impairment Bursary for Young Researchers
  • Dec 2008
    Scholarship: Polish Foundation for Science Conference Grant for Young Researchers
  • Jan 2008
    Scholarship: Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (MKiDN) Grant for New Media Days Project

Other

  • Languages
    Polish, English, Russian, Spanish, French
  • Scientific Memberships
    IASA - International American Studies Association (from 2006);

    PTK - Polish Culture Studies Society (from 2008);

    Internet Society (from 2010);

    Inter-disciplinary Network (Oxford, UK, from 2008).
  • Journal Referee
    Observatorio (*OBS) Journal
  • Other Interests
    climbing & bike, tango/fado/flamenco/jazz music, travel, photography, Current Anthropology, Leonardo, Observatorio (*OBS) Journal, Journal of Communication, Science, Wired, Kultura Popularna, Kultura Współczesna, Transformacje, Claudio Apporta, Eric Higgs: Satellite Culture. Global Positioning Systems, Inuit Wayfinding, and the Need for a New Account of Technology. „Current Anthropology” [Online]. Decem-
    ber 2005, Vol. 46, No. 5, p. 729–753.
    Mizuko Ito, Daisuke Okabe: Mobile Phones, Japanese Youth, and the Re-Placement of Social Contact. Front Stage — Back Stage: Mobile Communication and the Renegotiation of the Social Sphere Conference in Grimstad, Norway, 22–24 June 2003. etc., Marshall McLuhan: Understanding Media, the Gutenberg Galaxy
    Derrick de Kerckhove: Connected Intelligence, The Skin of Culture
    Don Tapscott: Grown Up Digital, Wikinomics
    David Weinberger: Everything is Miscellaneous
    Susan Greenfield: ID. The Quest for Meaning in the 21st Century
    Kevin Warwick: The March of the Machines
    etc., Steering Group of Cyber Hub (projects Cybercultures and Digital Memories) in Inter-disciplinary Network (Oxford, UK, from 2008);

    Vice-President of the Board of the Media Institute in Katowice (from 2011).

Following (23)

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Publications
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