Ithaca College

Patricia Zimmermann, professor of screen studies and codirector of the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival (FLEFF), served as a Fulbright Specialist in the School of Communication and Journalism at Volda University College (VUC) in Norway from April 1-18, 2017.     

 She delivered a public lecture on one of her most recent books entitled “Thinking Through Digital Media:  Transnational Environments and Locative Places.”  The lecture proposed a theoretical model for analyzing a wide range of international new media projects engaging human rights and environmental issues, many first shown in FLEFF.

During her residency at VUC, she conducted a series of interactive workshops with the faculty in media arts, journalism, and communications on a range of research and teaching topics:

·      Benchmarking international communications curricula

·      Conceptualizing a MA degree in heterogeneous media practices in journalism and documentary

·      Creating an international institute for the future of journalism, focusing on research, and publication in new and emerging media as well as designed convenings to foster international debate and dialogue on current controversies and issues

·      Design, programming, audience engagement, mission and vision for film festivals and research institutes

·      Developing curricula integrating theory and practice that is technology and format agnostic

·      Mounting a degree program in outdoor and environmental media

·      Structuring the first-level media survey course for a more international focus and conceptual skill-building, sharing models from Ithaca College’s Introduction to Film Aesthetics and Analysis large lecture course

She also presented on the conceptual models, international and interdisciplinary programming, design, engagement strategies, marketing outreach, and goals of FLEFF.

In addition, she engaged in faculty mentoring sessions to support and enhance the visibility of research and creative work in the areas of documentary, new technologies, and new media interfaces. 

Zimmermann was named to a five-year term as a Fulbright Specialist in in early 2016.