Kim Sawchuk named Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies for the Faculty of Arts and Science

This month ACT Director, Kim Sawchuk will assume her role as the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies for the Faculty of Arts and Science.

“Her innovative thinking, combined with a pragmatic approach, will allow our faculty to reach the next level in research and graduate studies. She is a wonderful leader by example.”

http://www.concordia.ca/cunews/main/stories/2015/01/06/kim-sawchuk-research-graduate-associate-dean.html

Barbara Crow and Kim Sawchuk publish “New and Old, Young and Old: Aging the Mobile Imaginary”

Screen Shot 2015-01-12 at 3.05.12 PMACT co-applicant Barbara Crow and Director Kim Sawchuk co-authored an article titled “New and Old, Young and Old: Aging the Mobile Imaginary” for the new edited collection Theories of the Mobile Internet: Materialities and Imaginaries. The collection is edited by Andrew Herman, Jan Hadlaw and Thom Swiss and part of the series Routledge Studies in New Media and Cyber Culture.

Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol to present in workshop at University of Eastern Finland

Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya will participate in a workshop titled “Humanities look at technology, ageing, well-being and agency” organized by ACT partner University of Eastern Finland. She will present on “The ACT project and the COST Action on Ageing” on December 5, 2014. The organizing committee from the University of Eastern Finland comprises Prof. Jukka Mäkisalo (serving as the Chair), Senior Lecturer Johanna Uotinen, Prof. Helmi Järviluoma-Mäkelä of ACT, Prof. Stefan Werner and Senior Lecturer Taina Kinnunen.

ACT members organize panel at ECREA

On November 15, 2014, ACT Director Kim Sawchuk, co-applicants Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol, Line Grenier, Loredana Ivan and Eugène Loos, Collaborator Eric Craven and Associate Director Constance Carrier-Lafontaine organized a panel titled “New Media and Older People: Age, Narratives and Normativities”  at the 5th annual European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) conference held in Lisbon, Portugal. Sawchuk and Carrier-Lafontaine presented a paper titled “Ageing in App-Land: Interrogating Access, Creating InterACTion” about the work being done with ACT local community partner Groupe Harmonie. Grenier and Craven presented “‘Fresh Ears on Past Perspectives’: Using Digital Tools, Disrupting Assumptions About Music Making” about a series of sound workshops conducted with local community partner the Atwater Library and Computer Centre. Fernández-Ardèvol presented on behalf of her joint project with Ivan on “Older People and Computer Anxiety: Going Beyond Assumptions” and Loos spoke about gaming and ageing in his talk titled “Homo Ludens Playing Digital Games: The Representation of Older Players in Market Studies and Game Design.” As part of the same conference, ACT affiliated student Daniel Blanche presented on his research with Fernández-Ardèvol on “The Iaioflautas Movement in Catalonia: A Seniors’ Networked Social Movement”. Co-Applicant Shannon Hebblethwaite was also present at the conference.

Fannie Valois-Nadeau on Digitizing and Biographizing Léo Gravelle

Fannie Valois-Nadeau, a Queen’s University Postdoctoral Fellow affiliated with ACT, has recently presented in Dr. Line Grenier’s Master’s seminar Mémoire, médias et pouvoir (Memory, Media and Power). Her presentation was titled “Numériser et biographiser Léo Gravelle” (Digitizing and Biographing Léo Gravelle). More information on Valois-Nadeau’s research on the former Montreal Canadiens hockey player is available here.

Line Grenier presented at CEFAN on Ageing and Singing in Public

On October 10, 2014, Line Grenier of the Université de Montréal presented at CEFAN (Chaire des études francophones en Amérique du Nord). The theme of this year’s conference was speech in the city. Her presentation was titled “La musique populaire en action: Chanter et vieillir en public” (Popular Music in Action: Signing and Ageing in Public).

ACM and RECAA at the Congrès de l’Acfas

On May 16, Sophie Guérin, a Research Assistant affiliated with ACM and Marguerite Kephart of RECAA (Respecting Elders: Communities Against Abuse) presented at the Congrès de l’Acfas (Association francophone pour le savoir) held at Concordia University. They were part of a panel that addressed questions about elder abuse, which was part of a special event organized by CREGÉS, the Centre de recherche et d’expertise en gérontologie sociale.

ACM and RECAA at the Congrès de l'Acfas

On May 16, Sophie Guérin, a Research Assistant affiliated with ACM and Marguerite Kephart of RECAA (Respecting Elders: Communities Against Abuse) presented at the Congrès de l’Acfas (Association francophone pour le savoir) held at Concordia University. They were part of a panel that addressed questions about elder abuse, which was part of a special event organized by CREGÉS, the Centre de recherche et d’expertise en gérontologie sociale.