June 9, 2014 – August 15, 2014

Julie Gilliam started out as a social worker, became interested in technology, and now works for the University Maryland School of Social Work as a Senior Instructional Technology Specialist. She utilizes her social work and technical skills to support faculty, staff, and students with instructional and technological services. She has been with the University Maryland System for over 11 years and worked for Gannett/USA Today for 10 years. Her focus throughout her professional career has been solving problems for the end user in numerous capacities.

Julie Gilliam, D.Sc. Candidate

Julie holds a Bachelor degree in Social Work and Computer Information Science and a Masters in Computer System Management with a concentration of Applied Systems. She is currently pursuing her Doctoral of Science of Information and Interaction Design at the University of Baltimore. Her dissertation title is “Investigating the Role of an Enhanced Textbook: Using the Principles of Human Centered Design.”

Julie’s approach to research and the emphasis on the user is related to her background in social work and technology. Social work values focus on starting where the client is at, and this is why user interface is central to her research. As a social worker, Julie saw many problems that technology could solve, but current tools were not designed to solve these problems or were not designed in a way that appealed to users. Her career goal is to design tools that start where the client is at so they will become empowered.

The doctoral process provides the opportunity to evaluate one’s own beliefs, thoughts, and biases. It allows one to transcend into a new way of evaluating the presentation of information. The artwork produced came out of a need to be creative while embarking in a rather tenuous evolution of self-evaluation. “A Transformational Journey through the Perception of Mobliography” is about viewing the surrounding environment through the use of mobile technology. There are five sets of pictures which include the “Beauty of Baltimore”, “Snapshot of Nature”, “Depiction of our Four Legged Friends”, “Inspirational Typography” and the “Outlook View of Donaldson Brown Conference Center at Dissertation Bootcamp”.

The images were transported from a smartphone and visual texture developed employing a mobile application. The artwork demonstrates the ability for others to create their own artistic expressions thus providing accessibility to all. The images represent how her perception has changed through the accumulation of knowledge and experiences.

KEY THEMES !

There are five sets of pictures which include:

1. “Beauty of Baltimore”
2. “Snapshot of Nature”
3. “Depiction of our Four Legged Friends”
4. “Inspirational Typography”
5. “Outlook View of Donaldson Brown Conference Center at Dissertation Bootcamp”