Social Media and Theatre. Network Analysis. Digital Pedagogy and Scholarship. They’re probably not workshop topics you’d expect to see on the schedule for a single conference, but Chatham student Samantha Parish hosted an “unconference”: THATCamp Pittsburgh. The 2-day Humanities and Technology Camp deviates from the standard of long presentations and closely-monitored agendas to create an entirely innovative experience. “THATCamp went very well, especially for the first go-around in Pittsburgh,” says Parish. One of many such events planned around the world, THATCamp encourages attendees to plan many of their own sessions, combining discussion with hands-on invention. “The networking and socializing at THATCamps are also crucial and allow attendees to make important connections with like-minded folks involved in the Digital Humanities,” Parish says. Whether tech professionals or total newbies, all are welcome to join in and learn together.
While Parish says she loved meeting so many people and discovering new software, she herself had a lot to teach her guests. A History major and Museum Studies minor, she’s in her final year at Chatham. “I have been involved in the antiques business for 20 years, and always wanted to focus more on scholarly endeavors regarding history.” THATCamp allowed her to explore the the humanities through a digitally-enhanced lens. “I wanted to bring THATCamp to Pittsburgh, but primarily to Chatham, so that we could open up a healthy dialogue regarding the implementation of technology in the classrooms, as well as in our future lives,” she says. “I wanted the women of Chatham to have a chance to interact, network and learn from the many knowledgable people that attend THATCamps, and to take that energy to their studies.”
Now that the first Pittsburgh run is over, Parish hopes someone will want to plan the next one after she graduates. “It would sure be wonderful if we kept it at Chatham,” she says. “I won’t be here to organize it, but I would be happy to help in whatever way I could.” Parish has a lot of faith in the Chatham community. Of her experience at the university, she says, “By far, I love my Chatham sisters the most. The bond formed with many of the young women, and some of my professors, is one that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
To learn more about THATCamp, you can visit their website (linked here) and the Pittsburgh website (linked here).