Keynote—Stumbling Upon Technical Communication: Convergence and Divergence of Expertise + Experience
Dr. Jason Tham
In this talk, Dr. Jason Tham will share his journey from being an aspiring artist to discovering the world of technical communication, and everything in between. The keynote story includes lessons about change, cultural tensions, education, scholarly research, teaching, and leadership. Dr. Tham will discuss the ways in which experiences in life come together to form professional and personal identities, and how expertise can be diverged for specialized purposes in technical communication. Zeroing in on the notion of not-knowing, Dr. Tham will also contemplate on the affordances of “productive ambiguity” as a desirable condition for technical communicators in the modern age.
The Next Frontier: Stories from Students and New Professionals
John Clement, Andrea Howard, and Addison Kliewer
Discussion questions may include:
- What interests you the most about tech comm?
- What research interests do you have?
- What concerns do you have?
- How did you get into tech comm?
Managing Tech Comm Teams: Stories from Managers, Team Leads, and Project Managers
Bethany Aguad, Bobbi Werner, and Marilyn Woelk
Discussion questions may include:
- What is your approach to managing a tech comm team?
- What is the most difficult thing about managing a tech comm team?
- How do you manage a team facing a difficult project?
- How do I know if management is right for me?
- How did you know you wanted to be a manager?
Student Presentations: The Next Chapters in Tech Comm
Katie Marqueling, Liping Yang, and Alex Hales
Students present original research.
Lessons Learned
Todd DeLuca, Chuck Campbell, and Christina Mayr
Discussion questions may include:
- What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in tech comm?
- How did you learn it?
- Why is it significant?
Blogs, Vlogs, and Podcasts
Ed Marsh, Zohra Mutabanna, and Sara Feldman
Discussion questions may include:
- How has social media changed tech comm?
- How have you used social media in your career?
- How have you made a career out of social media?
If you have questions, contact us at spectrum@stc-rochester.org.
See you at Spectrum!
