Michael Gurstein, Ph..D. – Bio
Dr. Gurstein as an academic, researcher, policy adviser, practitioner and activist has been concerned with enabling and empowering communities through the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT’s).
As an academic he has developed courses and advised on programs in the area of Community Informatics, an emerging discipline which he has helped to develop and popularize and which is now becoming recognized through courses and programs in leading universities including the University of Michigan, University of Illinois, University of Toronto, Szeged University (Hungary), Monash Univerrsity (Australia), the National University of Malaysia among others.
As a researcher he has undrtaken a range of applied and action research with communities to support them in their aspirations for advancement through the use of ICT’s.
As a policy adviser he has directly and indirectly contributed to the development of policy concerning enabling grassroots development through the use of ICTs including for the governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hungary, Malaysia, and most recently through a major continuing series of interventions with the government of South Africa.
As a practitioner he helped to pioneer the sustainable use of ICTs for local development through his work in the Centre for Community and Enterprise Networking at the University College of Cape Breton and currently through the Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training.
As an activist he has helped to develop and support a variety of grassroots ICT user organizations in Canada, the US and globally including community networks, and regional, national and global networks of ICT user organizations including the Association for Community Networking, Global Community Networking Partnership, and the Global Telecentre Alliance.
Dr. Gurstein is currently a Director of The Information Society Institute, Cape Town South Africa; Executive Director of the Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training (Vancouver BC); Research Professor in the School of Computer and Information Sciences at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (Newark); and Research Professor in the Faculty of Management at the University of Quebec (Ouatouis). A Canadian, he completed a B.A. at the University of Saskatchewan and a Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of Cambridge. From 1995 to 1999 Dr. Gurstein was the NSERC/SSHRC Associate Chair in the Management of Technological Change at the University College of Cape Breton, where he pioneered in the development of sustainable community based technology applications.
He has served on the Board of the Vancouver Community Network, the British Columbia Community Networking Association, and Telecommunities Canada. He is currently on the Steering Committee of the Global Telecentre Alliance, and on the High Level Panel of Advisors of the United Nation’s Global Alliance for ICT for Development. He is the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Community Informatics and Foundation Chair of the Community Informatics Research Network.
His book "What is Community Informatics? (And Why Does It Matter)” has provided a focal point for recent discussion in the field.
Michael Gurstein Contact Details
Director: The Information Society Institute (TISI)
Cape Town, South Africa
tel. admin +27(0)217-129-782
SA Cell +27-769-825-175
Centre for Community Informatics Research, Training and Development
Ste. 2101-989 Nelson St.
Vancouver BC CANADA v6z 2s1 http://www.communityinformatics.net
tel./fax +1-604-602-0624
Email: gurstein@gmail.com
I am currently dividing my time between South Africa and Vancouver, Canada but what with very extensive travel the best way of reaching me is through
Email; gurstein@gmail.com ,
my South African cell: +27-769-825-175
or as mgurst on Skype.
What is my contribution to a Global Villages network
Hi Michael, thanks for joining Global Villages Network. I decided its about time to make our connections and potentials visible, and this site is a way to do this.
No comments yet!
You need to be a member of Global Villages Network to add comments!
Comment Wall (1 comment)
You need to be a member of Global Villages Network to add comments!
Join Global Villages Network