Public lecture explores philosophy of technology

Current research into intelligent systems and the philosophy of technology will be discussed during a public lecture at USQ this Thursday (July 29).

The lecture, entitled: 'IT as a Transformative Resource' features guest speaker Professor Shirley Gregor AO, who became the foundation Professor of Information Systems at the Australian National University in Canberra in 2001.

Professor Gregor now heads the National Centre for Information Systems Research.

Her current research interests include the adoption and strategic use of information and communications technologies, intelligent systems and human-computer interface issues and the philosophy of technology.

Professor Gregor has led several large applied research projects funded by the Meat Research Corporation, the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, the Australian Research Council and AusAID.

A former Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education (now USQ) and Central Queensland University academic, Professor Gregor was made an officer of the Order of Australia in 2005 for services as an educator and researcher in the field of information systems and in the development of applications for electronic commerce in the agribusiness sector.

She is also a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society.

USQ Head of the School of Information Systems, Professor Mark Toleman, said the University and the Faculty of Business were honoured to have such a distinguished visitor as Professor Gregor.

'Staff and students have had meetings with Professor Gregor on a range of research related matters during her visit,' Professor Toleman said.

'On Friday 23 July, Professor Gregor gave a presentation to staff and students on the topic of design science, which is one of her main research interests.

'Professor Gregor’s public lecture will be more general in nature and will be of interest to the community more broadly, particularly given the high interest in IT and its re-emergence as a topic of interest for university study by school leavers'.

The public lecture, which is hosted by the USQ Faculty of Business, will be held in Q501/502 at USQ in West Street, Toowoomba.

For more information, contact Mrs Rae Jones on: jonesr@usq.edu.au