Communication and information technologies are transforming society, impacting on a cross section of human activity far greater than any innovation since the printing press. Leaders in this nexus of technology and society require interdisciplinary expertise, transcending the individual disciplines from which the underlying technologies and their applications arose.

The Communication and Information Sciences (CIS) PhD program at the University of Hawai'i was established to meet this need.

The CIS office, staffed by Cindy Scheopner, is located in POST 305G; telephone 1-808-956-3493. Spring 2010 office hours are:

Monday: 10:30-noon, 2-4:30 pm
Tuesday 9-1, 3-4:30 pm
Wednesday 10:30-noon, 2-4:30 pm
Thursday 9-1
Fridays by arrangement (Cindy is on campus but hours vary on Fridays).

The CIS Chair is Dan Suthers; his contact information and office hours are here.

CIS PhD Application Deadlines (Fall 2010)

CIS PhD Program Newsletter (Summer 2009)

news & events
Two PhD Degrees Awarded in Winter Graduation
Congratulations to Laurel King and Dan Smith, who have completed their Communication and Information Science PhD degrees. Both degrees were conferred as part of the December University of Hawai‘i graduation ceremonies.
UH campus closure
Many campus offices will be closed from December 19 (Saturday) through January 3 (Sunday). The CIS office will be closed during this time. Please check the UH-Mānoa website for availability of other offices. Look for the "Green Days" link.
Dr. Rebecca Knuth named recipient of 2009 Library Journal Teaching Award
A leader and “scholar who learns with and from her student,” Rebecca Knuth, a tenured professor in the Library and Information Science Program (LIS) at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, is the 2009 recipient of the Library Journal Teaching Award.
The award, co-sponsored by ProQuest, recognizes one outstanding educator who excels at educating the next generation of librarians. Knuth is notable for her ongoing engagement with and mentorship of her students and her commitment to the profession’s core principles through course development and scholarly research. Nominated by her students, Knuth was selected by the editors of Library Journal, the profession’s leading trade magazine, from a competitive group of nominations from across the United States.

Knuth began her work at UH Manoa 2004 as chair of the LIS program, part of UH Mānoa's Department of Information and Computer Science. Her professional accomplishments at the university include building courses in the LIS program and creating its popular elective course in intellectual freedom, a topic on which much of her research focuses. She teaches courses in Traditional Literature and Oral Narration, International Librarianship, and Information Policy. Knuth holds an MA in Special Education and an MLIS. She has authored two books on intellectual freedom and libraries, as well as peer-reviewed scholarly articles and more popular writings.

It is the meaningful content used in her classrooms, her educator-as-learner approach, and her student-centered thinking that prompted LIS student Karen Brown to nominate Knuth for the honor. “Not only is the subject matter fascinating and relevant, but Dr. Knuth seems to enjoy her time with us in each and every class,” says Brown.

Knuth credits much of her success to crafting a syllabus that provokes thought and discussion. “I try to build excitement about librarianship and learning in general. I think many students are interested in ethics, social responsibility, the profession, the broader social climate, and in standing for something,” Knuth says.

“Rebecca Knuth is an inspirational teacher,” noted Library Journal’s Editor-in-Chief Francine Fialkoff. “Her student-centered thinking marries theory and practice to create a challenging environment that pushes both her students and her own research.”

The award comes with a $5000 honorarium from ProQuest and a celebration at the 2010 American Library Association Midwinter meeting in Boston. Read about Knuth in the November 15 issue of Library Journal (www.libraryjournal.com).

[UH-Manoa news release]