KMDI - Knowledge Media Design Institute

Knowledge media are building blocks of a knowledge society

Press Room

The University of Toronto's Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI) :
Designing & critiquing the media, technologies and policies of the Knowledge Society

Knowledge media is still not a household word. More familiar are terms such as digital media or new media and the information and communication technologies used to create and distribute them — blogs, wikis, web 2.0, podcasts, webcasts, VOIP, the internet ...

But whatever you call them, thinking deeply about the ways in which these media and media technologies both shape and are shaped by human practices and agency is the work of the University of Toronto's Knowledge Media Design Institute. Taking a human-centred approach to design, transdisciplinary teams of researchers collaborate to create innovative knowledge media and technologies while at the same time taking a constructively critical approach to understanding the ways in which these media and technologies are changing the ways we live work and play — even the way we think.

Can our researchers help you?

To find out more about our research and interests:

• See research projects on this site
• Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, the KMDiary or read it online
• Contact us at (416)978-KMDI or online at info@kmdi.utoronto.ca

You can also consult the The Blue Book Online, a listing of more than 1,100 experts at the University of Toronto. Produced by Public Affairs, the Blue Guide is intended as a resource guide for journalists seeking expert opinions from U of T faculty and staff.

KMDI Members : : In the News

For further information see People

July 1, 2008: Globe and Mail article on Wojciech Gryc, a quote from Leslie Chan  and we’re described as the UofT’s avant-garde Knowledge Media Design Institute, 'Wojciech Gryc: An inspiration to us all'

February 27 , 2008: Ron Diebert, director of the Citizen Lab honoured, UofT Human rights software given prestigious award at French Senate

February 25 , 2008: Professor Steve Mann, research depicted on the cover of this month's issue of Watershapes magazine, "Fluid Melodies"

February 8 , 2008: John Danahy , KMDI Steering Committee Member and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, looks over conceptual designs for the Lakeview lands in Mississauga, designs created by the PolyTRIM software

February 1 , 2008: Bill Buxton, former visiting Professor KMDI , now at Microsoft Research commenting on touch interaction, one aspect of the post-WIMP (windows, icons, menus and pointing devices) interface

January 8, 2008: Article by Eric Weiner, "Our Cell Phones, Ourselves", feature story on how cellphones are affecting life.

September 25, 2007: KMDI's ePresence Interactive Media, and its use of students as key members in its development team, is highlighted in an article in the U of T Bulletin.

September 12, 2007: Professor Barry Wellman quoted in an article in Canoe.ca on the increase in singles & non-married couples, and the effect of ICTs on this.

September 7, 2007: Professor Barry Wellman quoted in an article in Backbone Magazine on the need for more nuanced social software applications.

August 26, 2007: Professor Barry Wellman quoted in an article on social-network websites in the Washington Post.

August 17, 2007: An article on the latest release of KMDI’s ePresence Interactive Media, version 4.0, appeared in NEWS@UofT and in an article in IT World Canada.

August 2, 2007: Professor Barry Wellman quoted in an article on social-networking websites in the Globe & Mail.

June 10, 2007: KMDI Collaborative Program Student Christopher Collins and his DocuBurst software prototype are discussed in a Toronto Star article on DocuBurst's contribution to information visualization and retrieval.

June 2007: KMDI Director Gale Moore and Professor Ian Lancashire quoted in the University of Toronto Libraries Spring 2007 Newsletter in an article on Synergies: The Canadian Information Network for Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities.

May 28, 2007: A report by KMDI Graduate Fellow Wenhong Chen and Professor Barry Wellman is discussed in an article in the Vancouver Sun called "The New Entrepreneurs".

May 18, 2007: Professor Ron Deibert quoted in an article in the International Herald Tribune called "Governments Using Filters to Censor Internet, Survey Finds".

March 23, 2007: Professor Ron Deibert quoted in an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education called "Internet Research, Uncensored". The article discusses the program called Psiphon, developed by the Citizen Lab at the Munk Centre for International Studies at University of Toronto under the direction of Prof. Deibert.

March 15, 2007: Professor Andrew Clement. Net Neutrality Interview: Inside Popnology, on YouTube.

Jan. 26, 2007: Professor Andrew Clement quoted in an article called "Look Before You Leap into WiFi Networks, Experts Tell Cities" on ITWorldCanada.com.

Jan. 25, 2007: Professor Andrew Clement quoted in an article called "Tale of Two Cities - WiFi Gap Between Fredericton and Toronto" on ITWorldCanada.com.

Dec. 17, 2006: Professor Ravin Balakrishnan quoted in "A Mouse on a Mission in the Document Maze", New York Times, p. 6.

Sep.7, 2006: Graham Longford & Professor Andrew Clement. "How Long Will Toronto's Wireless Network be Free?" Op ed. theStar.com.

Aug.15, 2006: Dr. Liss Jeffrey, KMDI Senior Researcher quoted in theStar.com in an article entitled "Internet Use, Digital Divide Growing: StatsCan".

Aug. 2, 2006: Professor Barry Wellman & KMDI Graduate Fellow Jeff Boase and KMD quoted in Canadian Press article on the Stats Can Report entitled "Heavy Net Users are Loners".