Vickie Banks
vlb@h-net.msu.edu
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Date: Thu, 4 Jul 1996 12:09:42 -0500
Sender: H-NET LIST FOR MULTIMEDIA AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN HUMANITIES
TEACHING <H-MMEDIA@MSU.EDU>
From: "John F. Reynolds" <jreynold@lonestar.utsa.edu>
Subject: Scholarship at U. of Sheffield [NEWS]
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Excalibur Project
The University of Sheffield has created a scholarship for a first rate
candidate with the right qualifications and interests to work on its
'Excalibur Project'. This project was established in 1995 under the
auspices of the British Library concordat with the University of Sheffield.
The Project aims to explore the possibilities for fast and efficient transfer
of suitable print material in the Humanities into searchable databases using
the graphics-storage and fuzze-search environment created by the
software capabilities of Excalibur. The research has initial concentrated
upon creating and evaluating a test-bed of data provided by the
biographical registers of professionals in early modern England (1500-
1800). The objective is to complete the database, explore the
possibilities of creating independent field searches within it, and evaluate
the way in which users from a variety of academic backgrounds would
use the database and the degree of added value. The research will be
undertaken in the context of a PhD. Programme lasting three years which
will be jointly supervised by the Directors of the Project. The researcher
will be based in the Department of Information Studies (where a terminal
for using Excalibur on-line has already been established) and in the
Humanities Research Institute (with attachments to the Department of
History).
Candidates should have an excellent academic record in the Humanities
and an awareness and familiarity with computing software applications in
the Humanities. An MA of MSc in Informatics or Computing Science
would be an advantage. Applicants with a background in computing
science but an interest in the application of computing to the humanities
will also be considered.
The project is directed by professor Peter Willett (Department of
Information Studies). Dr Mark Greengrass (Department of History) and
Mr Michael Alexander (British Library Research and Development
Division Boston Spa). Further details and application forms are available
from Dr M Greengrass, Department of History, University of Sheffield,
Sheffield, S10 2TN tel; 0114 282 6354 or 6368; fax 0114 278 8304;
email m.greengrass@sheffield.ac.uk