When I was finishing my PhD and starting to think about post-school plans, I made a list of my favorite university departments. At the top of the list was New York University’s “Media, Culture, and Communication” (MCC) department. I am in awe of their faculty and greatly admire the students who I know who graduated from there. I decided that MCC was my dream department.
When I joined Microsoft Research, I had a bit of a pang of sadness over the fact that I was opting out of the formal academic job market before it opened, in part because I was really hoping that MCC would have a job opening. But I also realized that I’d be a fool not to take the MSR job. Working at Microsoft Research is a complete dream come true. I have enormous freedom, unbelievable support, and the opportunity to really create a community of researchers.
But then I started wondering… would there be any way to do both? Yes, this is a twisted thought coming from a workaholic, but it kept nagging at the back of my brain. Countless Microsoft Research faculty in Redmond have joint appointments at University of Washington. And I’m already splitting time between New York and Boston for personal reasons and will be spending more time in New York in the future. So, maybe I could have my cake and eat it too…
One day, hanging out with Helen Nissenbaum, I mentioned that I lurved her department from the bottom of my heart. And, in an off-hand comment, I said something about how I would love love love to have a joint position at MCC. And somehow, what began as a side comment, slowly blossomed into a flower when Marita Sturken – the MCC Chair – told me that she thought that this was a great idea. We started talking and negotiating and plotting and imagining. And, to my surprise and delight, Marita called to say that it was possible to create a joint position for me between MSR and MCC.
So, I am tickled pink to announce that I now have a joint appointment at NYU’s Media, Culture, and Communication department. I am joining the faculty as a Research Assistant Professor. I won’t be teaching any formal classes this year, although I’m looking forward to teaching in the future. In the meantime, I will be advising students and collaborating on research and getting involved in the department life. I will not be leaving Microsoft Research – I still don’t see why anyone would leave MSR. My primary affiliation will still be MSR and MSR will continue to be my academic home. But I’m also excited to have a joint appointment at NYU’s MCC that allows me to engage with the scholarly community and with students in new ways. And I’m really really really excited about this!
w000t!!!
Great news! Benefits all around, IMO.
Super excited to hear that you will be joining a truly great department during my senior year that! Definitely looking forward to meeting you on the 7th floor of 239 Greene. Congratulations and hip hip hooray!!!
Congratulations, danah!! Awesome news for you and NYU too.
What great news! Best wishes!
Congrats!!
Those will be very lucky students!!
congrats! Patricia (from Spain)spent some time in that department back in 2004-2005 I think. What a great opportunity!
Congrats! that’s wonderful news.
yeah!!!!
best from vienna/austria
ursula
Congrats danah! Sounds like a win for all involved.
Congratulations. This is very exciting!!
Gratz! Glad to learn you’ll be spending more time closer along the Eastern seaboard. I’m sure it will be a great opportunity for you.
Congratulations! As a current NYU grad student, I couldn’t be more thrilled to hear that you’re joining the university. Sadly, I’m not in the NYU MCC program but rather the NYU SCPS Corporate Communication program. Any chance you’ll be open to meeting students outside of the MCC program?
NYC can’t be more excited to have you spend more time here!
Danah, what terrific news. Have been following your work for several years and am happy to hear of this opportunity. Definitely a win for all.
w000t indeed! congrats danah, and congrats NYU!
Good luck!
Congratulations NYU!
That’s great! Let me know sometime when you are in NYC and ‘relatively’ free to say hello!
Congratulations! I’m anxious to hear how it works out, as another Microsoft person working to keep one foot in academia. Keep us posted!
Congratulations! I got my MA from MCC (Nissenbaum was my advisor). Being there was a transformative experience. Sounds like a perfect fit.
Congratulations danah! Sounds like a perfect spot. Check out Dr. Sturken’s work if you ever get a chance — Tangled Memories and Tourists of History are both awesome texts and may dovetail with some of your work. (Politics of presence, etc!)
Welcome to NYU! When you’re here, you’ll be just a block from me. Looking forward to it.
Congratulations and compliments to MCC & MSR. Best of both world’s indeed. Now, given that the world is flat, do we get to see you in Singapore soon?
That is grand news. Hope you will be doing some “open to NYU alum” lectures.