What does the digital humanities look like when it escapes the university’s ivory tower? If you’re a senior living in Old Ottawa South, it might look a bit like this!

The 2025/26 MA cohort in the Specialization in Digital Humanities have been working this year with Senior Watch Old Ottawa South (SWOOS) and Dr. Amanda Montague, Postdoctoral Fellow in Community DH, to tackle a community-identified research project about social isolation and loneliness amongst seniors.

The relationship building for this project started last April, when SWOOS and Dr. Montague met regularly to discuss the aims of the project and scope the research ahead of the student cohort joining us. (Read more in the ).

The agreement was that students would facilitate some participatory data collection activities in community using creative arts-based methods like mapping, photography, network analysis, then analyze the data, and finally produce digital projects to share back what was learned with the community. These projects will be exhibited locally at the Old Ottawa South Community Centre this spring.

In September we welcomed our enthusiastic cohort of 10 graduate students (listed below):

• Ian Darragh, Cognitive Science
• Ekin Kiziltan, Canadian Studies
• Benny Legault, English
• Aidan Power, Public History
• Simone Rojas-Pick, SPEC
• Maddy Dejonge, Public History
• Morel Kroitor, Anthropology
• Kate Moulden, Public History
• Mekyle Qadir, English
• Ezlyn Whitaker, Sociology

The students and seniors had their initial meet-and-greet between SWOOS and the students in September. (Read more in the ) And then began the community engagement training through a partnership between StudioDH and the Ottawa-based non-profit organization, . We developed a partnered learning opportunity where students would receive training on community engagement methods alongside members of the greater Ottawa community at Synapcity’s Civics Boot Camp. These learning opportunities with the community took place at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s Dominion Chalmers Centre.

In October, we took the opportunity to introduce the Old Ottawa South community to the project, and to the students, in a community information session at Southminster United Church. Then, in November we began a three-week period of data collection, where students each took a turn facilitating a participatory data collection activity. These activities were held in community at the Old Ottawa South Firehall. We pulled really impressive numbers for these activities, on average hosting about 20 seniors per session, with the final session capping at our largest number of participants: 26. You can see this in action on our website.

We wrapped up the term with students doing the preliminary data analysis of all the qualitative data that was collected. This term, we are exploring data analysis and digital project creation, with opportunities to receive input from the community partner throughout. 

 Benny Legault and Aidan Power, in an article for the OSCA Newsletter, wrote â€œWe were thrilled by the turnout we saw at each of [the workshops]… Given the success of our project so far and with the support of the community behind us, we feel emboldened to over the winter…stay tuned!”

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The annual  are a community-driven event meant to celebrate the diversity of work that happens every year under the banner of ‘digital humanities’. There is a wide variety of work falling under several different categories. This year, we had four MA students and 1 BA student nominated, our best showing ever. Well done everyone! Being nominated for an award is a recognition of the innovative work that we do around here.

Yesterday evening, the We are extremely pleased and proud to say that Chantal Brousseau’s Introduction to Digital Archaeology was nominated in the category of ‘Best Exploration of DH Failure/Limitations’ and… it won!

Critically examining what works (or not) and why, along with the implications for what we can know, is a key aspect of what makes digital work in history and the humanities more broadly what it is; extremely strong pieces from faculty in the US and from various journals were also up for consideration in this category this year. Chantal’s of her own work in the context of the broader historiography was powerful and persuasive. Congratulations Chantal!

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The inaugural was a huge success! Over 100 registrants came from near and far (including Montreal, Guelph, and Dallas, Texas!) to attend four days of workshops, and many more dropped in on our keynotes, panels and other events. And a very special thank-you goes out to all of our instructors, speakers, panelists and volunteers who helped make DHSITE a reality.

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How can an online game enhance our understanding of the French Revolution? How have ebooks changed the nature of reading? Embark on these questions and you’re in the realm of the Digital Humanities — and if you want answers, or at least ways to discover the answers, consider signing up for .

Digital Humanities Summer Institute: Technologies East is co-hosted by the University of Ottawa on (May 17 and 18) and ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University (May 19 and 20), with key support from ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s Global Academy. Featuring practical and theoretical workshops, panels, plenary speakers and presentations, it’s building a buzz beyond the two campuses.

For some, the first question will be “what are the digital humanities?” (or “DH,” in today’s shorthand). In fact, they’re more than just the old humanities — fields such as philosophy, literature, history and music — with a wireless mouse for navigation.

The Digital Humanities Revolution

“We’re at the start of a shift in studying the humanities that’s as revolutionary as the printing press,” says Brian Greenspan, associate professor in ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s English Department and founder of ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s Hyperlab, a DH research centre, who instigated the ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ side of the co-venture.

“The printing press made texts easier to copy and share and access, which changed the nature of scholarship. However, those changes took years to filter through and take shape. Today, digital tools and technology are making similar seismic shifts to the study of humanities, and it’s important for us to understand those changes and what they mean.

“The heart of the humanities — analysis, inquiry, interpretation — hasn’t changed. But now we have the capacity to run a textual analysis algorithm on 1,000 19^thcentury novels simultaneously, and to use software to investigate social and cognitive processes. DH uses these technologies, and it also asks: What are the implications, the benefits and downsides of these tools for our education, our society, our politics and culture.”

As a kind of pop-up institute, DHSITE is an alternative way to enhance students’ learning experience. “Students in our DH undergraduate and graduate programs have been asking for instruction in all kinds of areas that we just don’t have time to cover during the school year,” reports Greenspan, who received a 2017 Teaching Achievement Award from the Office of the Provost for the project. DHSITE will also give DH graduate students teaching opportunities.

Greenspan curated the ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ program by drawing on colleagues’ innovative work, with workshop topics including Twitter bots, game studies, artificial intelligence and DH pedagogy. A hands-on introduction to digital video editing comes courtesy of a partnership with ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s Media Production Centre.

“We will also include demonstrations of different research initiatives underway at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ involving virtual and augmented reality, digital gaming and new narrative media,” says Greenspan. “These are areas in which media are affecting the arts and humanities in visible, tangible ways.”

Keeping Conversations and Partnerships Open

“So much of the research and innovation that goes on in the region — and regionally we’re a hub of innovation — is centred around ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´, with both current researchers and former students. DHSITE is a prime opportunity to keep those conversations and partnerships going, and to form new partnerships.”

Greenspan and his colleagues hope that this DHSITE is the first of many and that, as the program expands and intensifies, course credits will be offered. “Part of the expansion we want to see,” Greenspan adds, “is greater synergy with the public and private sectors.”

In line with ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s role as a hub that welcomes the Ottawa community, everyone’s invited.

“DHSITE is open to everybody. No knowledge of computer programming is required; if you can surf the Internet and send an email, you’re qualified to join any workshop that interests you. And if you’ve heard of DH and have been wondering how it affects your area of knowledge or expertise, DHSITE is a fantastic place to get your feet wet.”

For the complete , information and registration, go to .

Workshops Being Offered

University of Ottawa, May 17-18:

• Social Media Analysis
• Introduction Ă  la fouille de textes
• Analyse statique en ligne
• Creative Data: New Media Interdisciplinary Design
• Introduction to Mapping and Spatial Methods for Humanists

ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University, May 19-20:

• Making and Deploying Twitter Bots
• Introduction to Python ACT-R
• Digital Humanities Pedagogy
• Introduction to Digital Video Editing
• Game Studies for Digital Humanists

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