bio

My name is Alex Halavais (HAL-a-vay, the “s” is silent) and I am a social architect, interested in ways of helping form a culture of creativity, freedom, and justice. In particular, I help people to understand how social media is changing the nature of scholarship and learning, and allowing for new forms of collaboration and self-government.

I am an associate professor at Quinnipiac University, where I teach in a masters program in interactive communications. I formerly directed a masters program in informatics at the University at Buffalo, and was Research Director for the New Media Research Lab at the University of Washington. I have worked in marketing for a large financial services firm, designed simulations for NASA, worked as a public school teacher in Japan, and in city government as a budget analyst and planner. I have published articles and book chapters relating to the how social media is related to social change, as well as a book introducing the social role of search engines. I am vice president of the Association of Internet Researchers and more recently have served as the Technical Director of the Digital Media and Learning Hub based at the University of California. I received a Ph.D. in Communications from the University of Washington, and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Irvine.

In addition to blogging at “a thaumaturgical compendium” and course related blogs, I tweet @halavais. I am also building a new resource on the history and future of wearable technologies.

My perfect day would be spent with my family, and would include a trip to the movies, a great meal, a curvy drive in a fast car, and a cold margarita on a warm beach with a nice breeze and a good book. My dream is to someday start a school on small island or a boat.

I currently live on Manhattan’s Upper West Side with my partner, Jamie, my son, Jasper, and an English Mastiff named Finnegan.

(Photo is by Robert Kirkham for the Buffalo News.)