Imagine learning about the three-dimensional geometric structures of Celtic art from an instructor who uses interactive Web-based multimedia technology instead of handwritten notes and one-dimensional slides in a lecture hall. Or, how about enhancing your academic research with free access to digital video from a Web site. GSLIS assistant professor Gary Geisler doesn’t just imagine those things — he makes them happen. “My academic and professional research has focused on exploring how technology can help people access and use information in easier and more effective ways,” explains Geisler. “The Celtic Art & Cultures Web site I created for a class at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill allowed the instructor to provide students with a means to understand the course material that is not possible in a traditional lecture or seminar course.”

The Open Video Project, which Geisler developed through funding from a National Science Foundation grant, is a digital library of open-source digital video intended for the research and education communities. “The idea is to acquire video that is in the public domain — or provided by owners who grant permission to use their intellectual property for research purposes — and make that video available in a variety of standard formats, along with associated metadata,” explains Geisler. “A high school student doing a research project on hurricanes can download relevant video and integrate video clips or still images into his project.”

Geisler’s passion for research goes back to his days as a software engineer at IBM, where he was a member of the original team that created WebSphere, IBM’s Java application server product suite. His master’s- and doctoral-level studies at the UNC at Chapel Hill enabled him to pursue research in human-computer interaction, user-interface design, digital libraries, Web-based applications, and digital video.

“Technology related to information and library science is advancing daily,” emphasizes Geisler. “My research allows me to stay current with the applications for today’s information technology. I impart upon my students both an understanding of the rapid pace of its development and an appreciation for the limitless potential of the tools they will use in their profession.”