Lab Director Charlotte Lee and Research Assistant Drew Paine recently returned from over two weeks in Shanghai, China where they visited Fudan University’s Collaborative Information and Systems Laboratory (CISL). Directed by Professor Ning Gu, CISL is one of China’s premier laboratories studying Computer Supported Cooperative Work.

As a “visiting expert” Lee gave a talk about two of her research projects including the study of how relationship work is accomplished with, through, and around the sharing of online calendars and also the study about the role that scientific databases and scientific metadata play in organizing and negotiating how new scientific practices and disciplines come about.

Dr. Lee and Drew Paine also received a tour of Shanghai’s bioinformatics research center that highlighted the many active research programs taking place there but also the support role played by the center’s data center for regional researchers. The work being undertaken at this center offers many exciting opportunities for the researchers of the CISL to expand the study of eScience projects within China.

The visit was shortly before the ACM CHI (Computer-Human Interaction) deadline so a great deal of time was spent writing papers and comparing drafts with Prof. Xianghua Ding, a long time acquaintance of Director Lee.

A highlight of the trip was participating in a workshop on “Combining the technical and the social in CSCW” where Lee served on a panel with doctoral candidate Silvia Lindtner and CHI Academy member, Prof. Paul Dourish. The panel offered the students and researchers working in CISL the opportunity hear different perspectives on how social and technical approaches can work together in CSCW.

Photo courtesy Paul Dourish.