Hi!
My name is Evan Lauer and this year I’m the Digital Scholarship Intern in Accessibility. I’m a Computer Science student, and a sophomore transfer student. I’m new to Northfield, but so far, I’m having a wonderful time. I can already tell that the intimate Carleton community is going to yield close connections.
During my training for this job, I’ve been exploring various mediums of digital scholarship, and the work of past digital scholarship interns and classes. I’m struck by the depth and breadth of detail that can be captured using digital tools in the world of humanities.
As a new Minnesotan, I’m particularly drawn to the 2019 project, a Deep Map of Northfield MN. There is a lot to explore within this project—I suggest you look at it yourself! The concept of deep-mapping rests on the idea that using digital tools, one can create a visual map of an area with multiple layers that operate in different contexts. More so than a two-dimensional map, a deep map can capture true complexity.
In the New Market quadrangle map, multiple layers and narratives weave together to create a complex experience that tells the story of the first settlements of the area. It tells the economic, geological, and political story of the place at the same time. With a deep map, and with the help of digital tools, the mapmaker tells a much more inclusive story than can be told with a simple thin map. In a similar vein, the Glass Animals Open Source website offers a space for fans to explore the desktop of the group and interact with them in a very layered and detailed way. There is a lot of information out there for those who are willing to look.
Finally, any understanding of digital work and development would be incomplete without an understanding of the role it plays in our sociological universe. This article about Data Science and Feminism as well as this exhibition by Europeana are two great ways to explore the history of science and human advancement as explained by our relationship with marginalized communities. Science, when used without giving care to the people who our institutions of power overlook, can be a force for evil.
Digital humanities is a broad field, and I cannot wait to explore it. I’m looking forward to a wonderful year and I’m excited to be here in Minnesota!
