by: Professor Ben Shneiderman    

University of Maryland
Department of Computer Science
A. V. Williams Building
College Park, MD 20742 USA

Keynote Speech (slides available)

Abstract

The dramatic success of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, and traditional discussion groups empowers individuals to become active in local and global communities. Some enthusiasts believe that with modest redesign, these technologies can be harnessed to support national priorities such as healthcare/wellness, disaster response, community safety, energy sustainability, etc.

However, accomplishing these ambitious goals will require long-term research to develop deep science foundations and extreme technology strategies.  The enduring questions of how to motivate participation, increase social trust, and promote collaboration remain grand challenges even as the technology rapidly evolves.  This talk invites researchers across multiple disciplines to participate in inspirational prototypes, innovative evaluations, and robust technologies.