Conference looks at digital media

By Liz Wagner
Collegian Staff
November 7, 2007

La Salle University will be hosting the annual International Digital Media and Arts conference in Philadelphia from Nov. 8 to Nov. 10.

This year’s conference, titled “Beyond Boundaries: Pedagogy & Change in the Academic Environment,” will focus on the advances of digital technology and its effects on various learning environments.

“This is a great opportunity to learn about what’s happening in digital media,” said Director of the Digital Arts and Multimedia Design Program Conrad Gleber. “The biggest benefit of a conference like this for digital artists is to find out they’re not alone. They have a chance to discuss issues and problems together.”

Events for the conference will be held in several locations in Old City including the Constitution Center, the Painted Bride Center, the F.U.E.L. art gallery and on La Salle’s campus.

Gleber has teamed up with the International Digital Media Arts Association (iDMAa) to create a conference filled with lectures from doctors, professors and digital artists from across the country.

The iDMAa was created in 2004 by 15 universities that wanted to promote the rise of digital media as a career field in a technologically advancing world.

Vice President and Creative Director of AOL Peter Rivera is the conference’s keynote speaker. Other featured attendees include representatives from Apple, Verizon and Schematic, international guests film producer Karthik Hariharan from India and university rector and author Lars Qvortrup from Denmark.

Lectures throughout the conference will discuss digital content ownership, print journalism on the Web, digital technology’s role in promoting social activism, digital innovations in universities, digital games, digital economics and growing media art.

A student exhibition entitled iDeas, at which digital art in the F.U.E.L. Art Museum and a special event at the Painted Bride Art Center will be presented the night of Nov. 8.

Provost Dr. Richard Nigro will host an awards dinner in the banquet hall Nov. 9 for the attendees of the conference.

Entertainment for the night will be provided by the Neo-African Drums ‘n Dance Ensemble. Prior to the dinner attendees will view a digital arts presentation in the art museum.

wagnere1@lasalle.edu