a meeting in washington dc

it's hard work keeping up with any field and it seems even harder when the field is new and emerging like the internet. and yet, somehow, the pew internet and american life project has done it - and they've been doing it now for seven years.

today i'm in washington dc - as part of an advisory board meeting for the pew internet and american life project. on a personal level, it's always fun returning to dc, the city i lived in for my last two years of grad school. on a professional level, it's a privilege to be in the same room with so many smart minds - smart minds who contributed to my decision to study digital culture in the first place and smart minds who contribute to my current understandings of what digital culture has become today.

i was excited to hear about future pew reports that examine latino/a use of the internet and the ways in which americans used the net during the 2006 election. i was excited to hear about future pew reports on information ecologies and how americans use the net to search themselves and others. and i was excited to hear that there will be additional reports regarding teens and technology.

the best part for me was when we all went around the room and shared what we thought was new, cutting edge, and important in terms of the internet and american life. being in a room with smart people talking about the future is exciting but it can also be a bit overwhelming - within an hour, we generated enough questions for a few dozen dissertations. but the best part was watching members of the project team. far from being overwhelmed, they seemed ready for more.

for years i've been excited by the work generated by the pew internet and american life project. after today, i'm excited about the work they'll generate tomorrow.