Series looks at impact of technology on media and equality

A series of discussions on "The Changing Face of Technology," coordinated by the Women's Center and Hereford College, will look at the effects of technology on reshaping the media, the classroom and power relations, particularly in terms of gender, class and race. Events will be held this spring and fall 2001.

Guest speakers will include women leaders such as Allison Abraham, a 1988 Darden graduate who was chief operations officer at iVillage Inc., and currently heads LifeMinders, Inc.; and Pat Mitchell, who recently became the first woman CEO and president of PBS.

The first panel discussion, on "Technology in Teaching: The Digital Classroom, Today and Tomorrow," will take place Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. in the Green Room of Hereford College. It will examine how technology is reshaping the humanities. Moderated by computer scientist Anita Jones, chair of the Virginia 2020 Science and Technology Commission, the panel will include Will Thomas, director of the Center for Digital History; Alan Howard, director of the American studies program; Benjamin Ray, religious studies professor; Kay Cutler, Curry School information services librarian; and Paula Wilson, an award-winning fourth-grade teacher from Red Hill Elementary.

The series is co-sponsored by the media studies program, the Office of Student Affairs' cultural programming board and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.