Javier was awarded his PhD in 2018 and is a lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, where he teaches Design and Illustration. He says 'my research background in Web Science has helped me to have a larger perspective of how my research can impact the Digital Economy. In the DTC we worked with setting up bids and project proposals, as well as working with the process of peer-review publications. This has proven essential to the research side of my work'.
What was your academic and professional background before you joined the CDT
I come from a Design background, where I have been specialising in Marketing, Multimedia Production and Television. I have carried some research related to Cultural and Anthropologic studies about Mexican Wrestling, as well as exploration of heritage sites. My work always aimed to provide an understanding of the culture and society activities that make society what their character.
Why did you choose to study Web Science
Web Science provided me the opportunity to expand beyond any discipline. It enabled me to work around a large group of individuals and groups from a wide range of faculties, interests and disciplines. I was looking forward to settle in as a researched and follow my academic pathway and the Web Science DTC/CDT presented the perfect scenario for me to expand on my current experience and expertise.
What was you PhD research topic?
My research was about the use of Tangible User (TUI) Interfaces to facilitate query making processes with Linked Data in the Cultural Heritage (CH) Sector. This research involved research and specialty areas such as Human Computer Interaction, Human Information Interaction, User Studies, Cultural Heritage Studies, and Heritage (GLAM) management. My research aimed to understand how can users query the large complexity behind CH sector, where they now hold billions of records within a range of data models. Furthermore, my research also aimed to facilitate the use of interactive systems through TUIs.
My research can showcase novel technologies and challenge the way in which data is presented on the Web, particularly in the CH sector. There has been a large investment in the Heritage sector, which has not fully reached the ‘end user’, which usually represent the communities that fund these investments. I believe this research can pave the way into more approachable interaction methods for those communities which commonly represent the lower digital literacy spectrum.
What training did you receive?
I received a lot of support for developing a wide range of interface experiments. Especially during my MSc year. I also managed to attend to several conferences and workshops such as the TEI’14 and WWW Conference in Brazil
What are the benefits of being part of the CDT
One of the main benefits of the DTC is that students get to meet people from different cultural, professional and academic backgrounds. I believe this is essential, since the vast majority arrive already with an advance understanding of their discipline, which can help you accelerate your understanding of how your own line of research might be affected by those external disciplines.
What are your future ambitions?
I am looking forward of establishing myself as a professor and carrying out research at international level
Do you have any advice to prospective Web Scientists?
I would argue that as Web Scientist you have to embrace the interdisciplinary perspective. Originate your research from where you are good at, but then get out of your comfort zone and bring that external discipline that might help you challenge everything you already know. But the most important thing will be to ask help from that specialist so you can have a clearer perspective of what your research could be shaped or re-shaped.
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