MANO/RAMO and IMAA to Present Keynote Speaker, Dr. Sara Diamond
at National Source Conference in Banff, AB

Keynote Presentation: June 15, 10am

The Banff Centre, Banff AB

The Media Arts Network of Ontario/Réseau des arts mediatiques de l'Ontario (MANO/RAMO) is pleased to announce its sponsorship of this year's Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA) national conference opening keynote address, which will be presented at the Banff Centre, June 15th at 10am. The keynote will be delivered by pioneering media artist and esteemed scholar, Dr. Sara Diamond, President of OCADU, Canada's "university of the imagination".

About Sara Diamond

Sara Diamond holds a PhD in Computer Science and degrees in new media theory and practice, social history and communications. She is an appointee of the Order of Ontario and the Royal Canadian Society of Artists. While retaining OCAD University's traditional strengths in art and design, Diamond has guided the university in becoming a leader in digital media, design research and curriculum through the Digital Futures Initiative, new research in Inclusive Design, health and design, as well as in sustainable technologies and design. She also played a leading role in OCAD University's establishment of the unique Aboriginal Visual Culture Program. Currently, she serves on the Ontario Ministry of Culture's Advisory Council on Arts & Culture, ORION (Ontario's high-speed network), SHARCNET, IO (Interactive Ontario), Canadian Women in Communications; i-Canada; is Chair of the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche Toronto Advisory Committee, and sits on several academic advisory panels.

She is a data visualization, wearable technology and mobile media researcher, artist and designer. She developed www.codezebra.net, a social media software and performance and responsive fashion environment. Diamond is founding Chair of the Mobile Experience Innovation Centre and current co-chair (with RBC). She is co-principal investigator on the Centre for Information Visualization/Data Driven Design, an OCAD U/York University major initiative and sits on the board of the National Centre of Excellence GRAND. Diamond continues to write and lecture on the subjects of digital media history, digital media, strategic foresight; mobility and design strategy for peer-reviewed journals and acts as a reviewer and evaluator for IEEE and ACM conferences and journals; SSHRC, CFI and the Canada Research Chair programs. Her artwork is held by prestigious collections such as the Museum of Modern Art, NYC and the National Gallery of Canada.

About MANO/RAMO

The Media Arts Network of Ontario/Réseau des arts mediatiques de l'Ontario (MANO/RAMO) is an arts service organization whose mandate is to develop and foster a unified and responsive provincial network for Ontario media arts organizations and the independent artists they represent. MANO/RAMO's vision is informed by the value that a rich and vibrant cultural landscape includes the continued diversity of artistic and cultural expression offered by independent film, video, audio and new media arts.



Contact: Kerry Swanson, Managing Director: director@mano-ramo.ca or visit our website at www.mano-ramo.ca.

About Source: Independent Media Arts Summit

The Source: Independent Media Arts Summit is IMAA's bi-annual conference bringing together Canada's media arts sector for five days of learning, networking and dialogue about key issues in the field. The conference will take place from June 15 – 18 at the Banff Centre.



For more information and a complete conference schedule, please visit www.imaa.ca.