Freedman Center for Digital Scholarship 20th Anniversary Celebration
by
Fri, Sep 25, 2026
1 PM – 4:30 PM EDT (GMT-4)
Online and Freedman Center for Digital Scholarship, First Floor, Kelvin Smith Library
11055 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OHIO 44106, United States
Details
Celebrate 20 Years of Digital Scholarship!
Over the past two decades, the Center has seen the advancement of home computers, the invention of smartphones and tablets, and the advent of generative AI. The Freedman Center has evolved alongside these advancements, empowering researchers, faculty, and students with innovative technology, expert support, and opportunities for funding and collaboration, such as the Freedman Fellows Program.
Whether you’re interested in digital humanities, data visualization, advanced computing, or artificial intelligence, this event offers a unique opportunity to celebrate, learn, and imagine the future of research and scholarship.
Learn more about the week’s events below. RSVP to receive access to the livestream link.
Anniversary Celebration Program
Beginning at 1 p.m., attendees can explore hands-on demos in the technology lab featuring virtual reality, AI bots trained on Shakespeare, photogrammetry, GIS applications, and other emerging technologies. The opening reception begins at 1:30 p.m. with refreshments and opportunities to connect with faculty, students, researchers, and specialists.
The formal program, which will also be livestreamed, begins at 2 p.m. with remarks from the Provost, a roundtable discussion featuring past fellows reflecting on the evolution of digital scholarship and the program's impact, and a special digital exhibit. Current Fellows will also share updates on their innovative research projects.
Featured Faculty Presenters
➤ Alexis Block, Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering
➤ Alanna E. Cooper, Department of Religious Studies
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Abba Hillel Silver Chair of Jewish Studies
➤ Jacqueline Curtis, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
Faculty Affiliate, Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health
➤ Gourav Datta, Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering
➤ Daniel Goldmark, Department of Music
Head of Popular Music Studies, Director of Center for Popular Music Studies, Associate Dean for Interdisciplinary Initiatives and International Affairs
➤ Kristine Kelly, Department of English
➤ Daniel Lacks, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
C. Benson Branch Professor of Chemical Engineering, Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary and International Initiatives
➤ Kelly McMann, Department of Political Science
Where
Online and Freedman Center for Digital Scholarship, First Floor, Kelvin Smith Library
11055 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OHIO 44106, United States