No. 549 - March 18, 2026

  • Coming Events:

    - AI is a morbid symptom of interregnum
    - FIMS Faculty Pastries & Pedagogy Drop-In
    - Hot Topics: Smouldering Scholarship in FIMS
    - Threads that Unite Us 2: Rafu / Mending
    - FIMS TA Pizza & Pedagogy
    - LIS 9004 - Research Methods - Student Research Showcase
    - The Curious Times of CONVERSATIONAL AI - Student Poster Session
    - Truth Under Pressure: Finding the facts in a noisy world

  • Important Dates:

    - Monday, March 16 - Friday, March 20, 2026 - March Break (Ontario public school system)
    - Thursday, March 26, 2026 - OWL Brightspace Training: What's New? (2:30-3:00 PM, Zoom)
    - Saturday, March 28, 2026 - Spring Open House at Western (9:00-4:00 PM)
    - Tuesday, March 31, 2026 - Western Spring Market (10:00-5:00 PM, Schmeichel Building)

  • News & Announcements:

    - Student volunteer positions at McIntosh Gallery

  • Awards & Accomplishments:

    - Joanna Redden

  • Publications & Presentations:

    - Chris Arsenault
    - Roger Chabot
    - Leah Coyne
    - Anastazia Csegeny
    - Levon Enns-Kutcy (MMJC'25)
    - Angeline Gisonni (MMJC'25)
    - Davin Helkenberg

  • In the Media:

    - Chris Arsenault
    - Emily Austin (MLIS'13)
    - Norma Coates
    - Joanna Redden
    - Daniel Robinson
    - Book Bans and Beyond

  • News from the FIMS Grad Library:

    - Hiring for Summer/Fall 2026 Terms
    - Upcoming Events at the Library
    - Make of the Month

  • News from Western Libraries:

    - Rare Books Open House

  • Next Issue:


Coming Events

AI is a morbid symptom of the interregnum
Friday, March 20, 2026
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Online via Zoom Webinar
Register now.
Or attend the watch party in FNB 4130. Snacks provided.
Presented by Dan McQuillan, Senior Lecturer in Critical AI at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Co-hosted by the Starling Centre for Just Technologies and Just Societies and the FIMS Rogers Chair.
Abstract: Let us begin from the contradiction that is AI. What does it mean that a technology which is functionally incapable of delivering on its claims continues to be the site of massive financial and strategic investment? This question can be fruitfully answered by treating AI as a diagnostic whose failings shed a light on underlying structural transformations (continue reading).

FIMS Faculty Pastries & Pedagogy Drop-In
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
4th Floor Lunchroom
Please join us for the final Winter 2026 FIMS Faculty Pastries & Pedagogy drop-in session! Through the year, we've been holding these casual, drop-in morning sessions designed to get us talking about teaching - and they've gone really well: connecting colleagues and kick-starting conversations about teaching strategies. Over coffee and pastries, we chat about classroom challenges and share what's been working. Seeking advice? Unsure about an assessment? Excited by a new strategy you're trying out? Looking to exchange ideas? Or, maybe you just want to caffeinate while chatting about teaching? Swing by and let us know how the term went.

Hot Topics: Smouldering Scholarship in FIMS
Friday, March 27, 2026
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
FNB 3220, 4070, 4100, 4130
Register now.
Keynote speakers include FIMS Assistant Professor Bri Watson presenting "Hot Takes: the purpose of research in a melting world," and FIMS Asper Fellow Angela Murphy presenting "In the age of AI: Why on-the-ground reporting still matters." The keynotes will be hybrid. Panel discussions will happen throughout the day. Full schedule details can be found on the Hot Topics website.

Threads that Unite Us 2: Rafu / Mending
Friday, March 27, 2026
9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
FNB Atrium
Description: In the first Threads that Unite Us workshop, embroidery became a language of resistance against growing authoritarianism, white supremacy, and threats to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and trans lives. Our second event will also incorporate the practice of repair. Join us for Rafu/Mending and Layers: A Cross-Cultural Embroidery and Mending Workshop with visiting textile artist Sharmistha Kar at 10 AM. No prior experience necessary. All are welcome (read more).

FIMS TA Pizza and Pedagogy - Professionalization
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
FNB 4110. Please RSVP
FIMS TAs are invited to grab a slice and a seat to talk about professionalization. Want some tips? Have questions? Join us! Attendance of this session counts towards the FIMS TA Professionalization Program.

LIS 9004 - Research Methods - Student Research Showcase
Session 1: Tuesday, April 6, 2026
2:00 p.m.
FNB 4130 or via Zoom
Session 2: Thursday, April 9, 2026
6:30 p.m.
Via Zoom
More details to come. Contact Pam McKenzie if you have any questions at pmckenzi@uwo.ca. 

The Curious Times of CONVERSATIONAL AI: Human Ingenuity & Technological Wonders
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
9:30 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
FNB Atrium
Description: In a world that sometimes divides people into technophiles and technophobes, we invite you to choose a third path: the techno-curious. This session explores how conversational AI is evolving - and how humans remain central to creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. Light refreshments will be served (read more).

Truth under pressure: Finding the facts in a noisy world
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (reception to follow)
Attend in person: FNB 3050 (Broadcast Studio) - Register for In-person
Attend online: Register for Zoom Webinar.
Join us for this special symposium as journalists discuss their areas of expertise including image & video verification in a growing sea of fakes, covering the increasingly contested arctic region, and border issues in the era of Trump. Presented by Angela Murphy, the FIMS 2026 Asper Fellow.


Important Dates

- Monday, March 16 - Friday, March 20, 2026 - March Break (Ontario public school system)
- Thursday, March 26, 2026 - OWL Brightspace Training: What's New? (2:30-3:00 PM, Zoom)
- Saturday, March 28, 2026 - Spring Open House at Western (9:00-4:00 PM)
- Tuesday, March 31, 2026 - Western Spring Market (10:00-5:00 PM, Schmeichel Building)


News & Announcements

Student volunteer positions at McIntosh Gallery
Students are invited to apply for a number of volunteer roles at McIntosh Gallery by March 25. The positions are posted through the Western Peer Leader Program and so are eligible for co-curricular record credits. Positions include Collections Assistant, Communications/Social Media Ambassadors, Curatorial Assistant and Program Facilitator. Position descriptions and application information are available on the Peer Leader website.


Awards & Accomplishments

Associate Professor Joanna Redden was announced as a recipient of a 2026 Dorothy Killam Fellowship by the National Killam Program on March 11. Fellowships provide $80,000 per year for two years to allow the recipient to fully focus on their research. Professor Redden will be continuing her investigation of the use of AI by Canadian governmental agencies and pushing for improved oversight, consultation and civic participation.


Publications & Presentations

Assistant Professor Chris Arsenault gave the following conference presentation:

Arsenault, C. (2026, March 18). Unveiling the craft: Integrating scholarly research with journalistic storytelling through podcasting. Lightning talk presented at Digital Platforms, Methods, Media & Sociotechnical Futures, Day of Digital Humanities, Western University, London, ON, Canada. 


Professor Arsenault also collaborated with students/alumni Leah Coyne (current MMJC student), Levon Enns-Kutcy and Angeline Gisonni (both MMJC'25) on the following publication:

Arsenault, C., Coyne, L., Lafleur, J., Enns-Kutcy, L., & Gisonni, A. (2026, February 27). Six weeks undercover: Investigative lessons from the Toronto Star’s probe into Uber’s algorithm. J-Source.


Assistant Professors Roger Chabot and Davin Helkenberg published the following article:

Chabot, R. and Helkenberg, D. L. (2026). Public libraries in the discourse of Drag Queen Story Time challengers and supporters. Journal of Documentation, 82(3). https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-10-2025-0299.


Anastazia Csegeny, PhD student in Media Studies, presented "From Blindness to [In]sight: Memory, Intertextuality, and the Journey of Reconciliation in David L. Carlson and Landis Blair's The Hunting Accident," at the Memory, Identity, and Transformation in Literature, Theory, and Culture Symposium, hosted by Purdue University, on March 7.


In the Media

Assistant Professor Chris Arsenault spoke with 11 different CBC Radio morning shows on March 9, including London, Ottawa and Toronto Metro Morning, for segments about the Trump administration's recent interest in the Shield of the Americas. 

The latest book from Emily Austin (MLIS'13), titled Is This a Cry for Help? was included in an article titled "38 Canadian fiction books we're excited about coming out from January to March" published on CBC Books on March 11. 

Associate Professor Norma Coates had two recent media appearances. On March 5 she was interviewed by CBC Music for an article titled "How Canada shaped Joni Mitchell," and on March 17, she was quoted in a New York Times article titled "How Fandom Is Driving Katseye's Pop Music Machine." 

Associate Professor Joanna Redden appeared in a few media spots online in relation to her recent appointment to the Dorothy Killam Fellowship. Western News covered the appointment on March 11 in an article titled "FIMS prof awarded Dorothy Killam Fellowship for research on AI use," and an announcement was published on the FIMS website the same day titled "Joanna Redden awarded a 2026 Dorothy Killam Fellowship."

Professor Daniel Robinson was quoted in an article titled "Teens across Toronto are buying illicit nicotine pouches. Now convenience stores want to sell them legally - should we let them?" published by the Toronto Star on March 7.

The event Book Bans and Beyond: Navigating Intellectual Freedom in the Digital Age, co-hosted by FIMS as part of Freedom to Read Week, was covered by the Gazette on March 6 in an article titled "Panel talks book bans and beyond."


News from the FIMS Grad Library

Hiring for Summer/Fall 2026 Terms
The FGL is looking for Student Library Assistants to work part-time in the library for the upcoming Summer and Fall terms. For more information, view the full job ad: https://lib.fims.uwo.ca/2026/03/16/work-opportunity-in-the-fims-graduate-library-summer-fall-2026/ 

Upcoming Events at the Library

The FGL hosts workshops, lectures, and community events each term to support graduate teaching, learning, and research. Events are posted to our website (https://lib.fims.uwo.ca/events/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fimsgradlib/)

Professional Headshots

Back by popular demand, The FIMS Grad Library and Broadcast Services teams are delighted to offer complimentary, high-quality headshots to members of the FIMS Graduate community (students, faculty, and staff)! Whether you're graduating and aiming to spruce up your LinkedIn profile, or seeking to enhance your online professional presence, swing by the Library during specified days/times to have your photo taken by skilled professionals. No registration required; simply drop-in!

Tuesday, April 7th 1:00PM - 2:00PM
Friday, April 10th 1:00PM - 2:00PM

Glass Room Exhibit Returns to the FGL

Glass Room exhibition is currently on display at the FIMS Grad Library. The Glass Room is a public intervention that provides an interactive way for people to investigate the social impacts of technology like Artificial Intelligence and explore practical solutions to mitigate these impacts. See it for the first time, or revisit the exhibit to discover newly added items.

Make of the Month – March – Stickers

Join us for this month’s Make of the Month, where we’ll be learning how to design and create custom stickers using the Cricut! Drop into the library and we’ll walk you through the basics of sticker design, cutting, and finishing. Ask at the service desk all month long!

For our online MLIS students, you can still participate! Fill out this form and we’ll make your stickers for you and mail them to you, free of charge!

If you run into technical difficulties or have any questions, email us at fimslib@uwo.ca.


News from Western Libraries

Rare Books Open House
Thursday, March 26, 2026
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
ARCC Reading Room, Weldon Library
Western Libraries' Archives and Special Collections invites you to explore its latest acquisitions — a remarkable gathering of materials making their public debut.

On display will be medieval manuscripts, early printed books, fine bindings, local history materials, 19th-century manuscript recipe books, French literature, comic books, and works connected to celebrated literary figures including Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Shelley, and Austen (what's on display?).

To find more upcoming Western Library events and workshops visit the Western Libraries Events page.


Next Issue

The FIMS Bulletin is your source for news, announcements, and events pertaining to FIMS graduate programs. Submissions from the FIMS community are always welcome and may be sent via e-mail to fims-communications@uwo.ca.

The next issue of the FIMS Bulletin will be the final issue for the Winter 2026 term. It will be published on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Please submit any items by noon on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.