The first assignment for LIS 889: Digital Curation asked me to research and write original definitions for common concepts. The task of defining terms that are ubiquitous in the digital age such as "file," "byte," and "server" proved more challenging than I expected. I sought out digital preservation glossaries and data science dictionaries to verify and enhance my working knowledge. Information professionals often help the public learn about concepts related to data and computing; it is vital that we ensure our mental definitions are accurate.

In this presentation for LIS 755: Information Policy, I compared the information policies of India and the United States. I researched each country's physical information infrastructure and regulatory frameworks and highlighted policies related to the freedom of information and data privacy. I was surprised to learn about the vibrant freedom of information movement in India in which several decades of activism led to the enactment of a powerful government transparency law to combat corruption. The movement's slogan, "Hum Janenge, Human Jiyenge”(translated: "the right to know, the right to live") has stayed with me as a reminder of the importance of protecting the public's right to access information. The presentation illustrated for other students in the class how weak the United States' data privacy laws are in comparison to those of India and the European Union. In my professional and personal life, I intend to help others understand how gaps in information policy may put our personal freedoms at risk.

For LIS 755, I developed a policy brief for an imagined transcription project involving Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for WBEZ, the NPR news station. I chose to develop a scenario for the audio archive of a working news organization rather than for a cultural heritage organization so I could explore a different set of information needs and institutional priorities than I have examined throughout graduate school. I researched AI transcription tools, existing projects, and perspectives from the information science field about the accuracy and ethics of the technology. I used this information to design a plan to adopt an AI transcription tool in phases with checkpoints to ensure quality while satisfying the needs of stakeholders.