Gordon Gow
Gordon Gow is Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in Communication and Technology (MACT)
Teaching and Research Interests
- community and social media
- mobile phone as a research tool
- communications regulation and policy
- science and technology studies
- communication history and theory
Biography
Gordon Gow is Associate Professor of Communication and Director of the Graduate Program in Communication and Technology (MACT) in the Faculty of Extension at the University of Alberta. From 2003-2006 he was lecturer in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics, where he was Director of the Graduate Programme in Media and Communications Regulation and Policy. Dr. Gow is also affiliated with the Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology (CPROST) at Simon Fraser University.
Dr. Gow’s research interests revolve around the impact of social media and other new communication technologies in the areas of public safety, public health, and community engagement. His current projects include a SSHRC-funded study on emergency alerting at Canadian post-secondary institutions, as well as a KIAS-funded study on the use of information technology to support sustainable farming practices in developing countries; Dr. Gow has also been involved with an IDRC-funded study on the use of mobile phones for health surveillance in Sri Lanka and India. IN 2009 he received a grant to develop a facility at the University of Alberta in order to examine the potential for mobile phones and other wireless devices to support scholarly as well as community-engaged research projects.
His research projects typically involve close collaboration with community stakeholders, and he has organized several workshops around the theme of communications technology and public safety. Participation at these events has included representatives from community and industry organizations, as well municipal, provincial, and federal agencies.
Dr. Gow is the author of two books and numerous journal publications. He currently teaches a graduate level introduction to social media and supervises graduate students in the MACT program.
Awards, Grants, and Commissions
Kule Institute for Advanced Study (2011-2012). Environmentally sustainable farming practices through a technology-enhanced community of practice approach (Principal Investigator)
SSHRC Standard Research Grant (2008-2011). Emergency Alerting at Canadian Post-Secondary Educational Institutions (Principal Investigator)
International Development Research Centre (2008-2010). Real-time Biosurveillance Project: Sri Lanka and India. (Co-investigator)
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2004 Contributions Programme, Prepaid Mobile Phones and Privacy Rights (2004-2006)
International Telecommunications Union, Strategy and Policy Unit, Privacy and Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop (2005)
European Commission, Digital Business Ecosystem Project, Regulatory Issues Working Group (2004-2006)
Committee/Board Membership
Editorial Review Board, Canadian Journal of Communication Board of Directors, Canadian Association for Public Alerting and Notification Research Associate, Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology (CPROST), Simon Fraser University; Research Associate, Centre for Information and Communication, Van Horne Institute, University of Calgary; Faculty Advisory Board, The Centre for Innovation Studies (THECIS), University of Calgary.
Publications
Books
Gow, G., R.K. Smith (2006). Mobile and Wireless Communications: An Introduction. Open University Press/McGraw-Hill.
Gow, G. (2005). Policymaking for Critical Infrastructure: A Case Study in Public Safety Telecommunications. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Book Chapters
Gow, G., N. Waidyanatha (2011). “Mobile phones and the challenge of sustainable early warning systems,” James Katz (Ed.), Mobile Communication: Dimensions of Social Policy. Transaction Publishers.
Gow, G. and N. Waidyanatha (2010). “Using Common Alerting Protocol to Support a Real-Time Biosurveillance Program in Sri Lanka and India,” in T. Kass-Hout and X. Zhang (Eds) Biosurveillance: Methods and Case Studies. Chapman and Hall. p. 267-290 [lead author]
Gow, G. (2008). “Technology Assessment,” in The Blackwell International Encyclopedia of Communication. Oxford: Blackwell.
Gow, G. (2005). “Pinpointing Consent: Location Privacy and Mobile Phones,” in Kristóf Nyíri (Ed.) A Sense of Place. Vienna: Passagen Verlag.
Gow, G. (2004). “Making Sense of McLuhan Space” in Moss, J. and L. Morra (Eds.) At the Speed of Light there is Only Illumination: A Reappraisal of Marshall McLuhan. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press.
Anderson, P.A., G. Gow (2003). “The Wireless Revolution: Emerging Challenges for Integrated Emergency Communications Planning” in Herder, P. and W. Thissen (Eds.) Critical Infrastructures: State of the Art in Research and Application. Kluwer.
Journal Articles
Gow, G., T. McGee, S. Romanowski (2011, forthcoming). “Warning response on a university campus: Anticipating message confirmation behaviour among undergraduate students,” Journal of Emergency Management. 9(3).
Gow, G. (2011, forthcoming). “Marshall McLuhan, Social Media, and the End of the World as We Know It” English Studies in Canada.
Waidyanatha, N., A. Dubrawski, M. Ganesan, G. Gow (2011). “Affordable System for Rapid Detection and Mitigation of Emerging Diseases,” International Journal of E-Health and Medical Communications. 2(1): 73-90.
Gow, G., T. McGee, D. Townsend, P. Anderson, S. Varnhagen. (2009). ‘Communication technology, emergency alerts, and campus safety,’ IEEE Technology and Society Magazine. 28(2): 34-41
Gow, G., J. Parisi. (2008). “Pursuing the Anonymous User: Mandatory Registration, Privacy Rights, and Prepaid Mobile Phones,” Bulletin of Science, Technology, and Society.
Gow, G. (2007). “Public Alerting in Canada: Renewing the Emergency Broadcasting System,” Canadian Journal of Communication. 32(2): 277-293.
Gow, G. (2007). “Disaster Mitigation and Communications Research in Canada: Toward a Responsive Innovation Agenda,” International Journal of Emergency Management. 4(2): 122-140.
Gow, G. (2007). “Implementing Common Alerting Protocol for hazard warning in Sri Lanka,” Journal of Emergency Management. 5(2): 1-7.
Gow, G. (2005). “Information Privacy and the Mobile Phone,” Convergence: the International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies. 11(2): 76-87.
Gow, G. (2005). “Public Safety Telecommunications in Canada: Regulatory Intervention in the Development of Wireless E9-1-1,” Canadian Journal of Communication. 30(1): 65-88.
Gow, G. (2004). “Mobil szorakoztatas es a mindennapi elet: kutatasies tervezesi problemak azonositasa.” Médiakutató, Winter edition. [Mobile Entertainment and Everyday Life: Problem Formulation for Research and Design]. (Magyar translation).
Gow, G., M. Ihnat. (2004). “Prepaid Mobile Phone Service and the Anonymous Caller: Considering Wireless E9-1-1 in Canada,” Surveillance and Society. Special Issue: Surveillance & Mobilities.
Anderson, P.A., G. Gow (2003). “A General Framework for Mitigation-oriented Planning Assessments of Mobile Telecommunications Lifelines,” Natural Hazards.28(2-3): 305-318.
Gow, G. (2001). “Spatial Metaphor in the Work of Marshall McLuhan” Canadian Journal of Communication. 26(4): 519-536.
Conference Papers
Gow, G., N. Waidyanatha, V. Pushpa Mary (2010). “Using Mobile Phones in a Real-time Biosurveillance Program: Lessons from the frontlines in Sri Lanka and India,” 2010 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS). (June 7-9) University of Wollongong. Wollongong, Australia.
Gow, G., N. Waidyanatha. (2009). “Mobile phones and the challenge of sustainable early warning systems,” Mobile Communication and Social Policy: An international conference. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Center for Mobile Communication Studies (Oct. 9-11).
“Communication Technology and Campus Safety: Critical Sociotechnical Concerns for Emergency Messaging at Canadian Universities,” with D. Townsend, P. Anderson, T. McGee. 2008 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS 08). June 26-28. Fredericton, New Brunswick. [lead author]. (R)
“Community-based Hazard Warnings in Rural Sri Lanka: Performance of Alerting and Notification in a Last-Mile Message Relay,” with Nuwan Waidyanatha and Peter Anderson. Wireless Rural and Emergency Communications Conference (WRECOM 2007). October 1-3, 2007 (University of Rome and IEEE Communications Society). [second author]
“Prepaid Mobile Phones: The Anonymity Question.” Oxford Internet Institute. Safety and Security in a Networked World: Balancing Cyber-Rights and Responsibilities Conference. September 8-10, 2005 (Oxford University, UK).
Invited Presentations
Gow, G. (2011). “Common Alerting Protocol for Health Alerting in Sri Lanka and India” Invited presentation. World Meteorological Association (WMO), CAP Implementers Workshop. Apr. 6-7, Geneva.
Gow, G. (2011). ‘Future trends in Mass Notification and Public Alerting.’ Invited keynote presentation. Manitoba Disaster Management Conference. March 9. Winnipeg, MB.
Gow, G. (2010). ‘Global Connections: The impact of social media and the key forces driving change in the new sharing economy.’ Invited keynote presentation. Alberta Technology Innovations Futures Employee Day. Nov. 23., Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton
Research Reports
“The Future of Emergency Alerting and Public Warning in Alberta.” Report prepared for Van Horne Institute/Alberta Emergency Management Agency. June 2008.
“Summary Proceedings of the National Roundtable on Campus Emergency Alerting.” Report prepared for Campus Emergency Messaging Research Group (Co-author with David Townsend). February 2008.
“Privacy rights and prepaid phones: A policy perspective,” Data Protection Review EU. Issue No. 5. Available online: http://www.dataprotectionreview.eu/ (Principal author, with Mark Koeppen). Feb. 2008.
“Guidelines for Using a Content Standard for Alerts and Notifications in Disasters and Emergency Situations.” International Telecommunications Union, Telecommunication Development Bureau (ITU-D). (Contributor). September, 2007.
“Competition in Canada’s Wireless Industry.” Van Horne Institute roundtable report prepared for Industry Canada public consultation on Advanced Wireless Spectrum. (Co-author David Mitchell). May, 2007.
“Hazard Information Hub Guidelines and Common Alerting Protocol Profile.” Report prepared for LIRNEasia/Sarvodaya, Last-Mile Hazard Information project. Sri Lanka. July, 2006.
“Improving Identity Check Processes for Pre-paid Mobile Services.” Report submitted to Australian Communications and Media Authority public consultation (March 2006).
“Prepaid Communication Services and Privacy: An International Survey of Policies and Regulations.” Research report prepared for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Mar. 2006
“Evaluating Last-Mile Hazard Information Dissemination in Sri Lanka.” Implementation report prepared for LIRNEasia/Sarvodaya, Last-Mile Hazard Warning System project. Sri Lanka. Feb. 2006
“Privacy and Ubiquitous Network Societies.” Background paper prepared for International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Strategy and Policy Unit, New Initiatives Programme, International Experts Workshop on Ubiquitous Network Societies. Geneva. April 2005.
“Knowledge Base of Regulatory Issues.” Report prepared for Digital Business Ecosystem project, European Commisssion 6th Framework Programme for Information Society Technologies. April 2005.
“Emergency Telecommunications and Mitigation-Oriented Policymaking,” World Dialogue on Regulation for Network Economies, Jan. 17, 2005. www.regulateonline.org
“Tsunamis and Coastal Communities in British Columbia: An Assessment of the BC Tsunami Warning System and Related Risk Reduction Practices.” Prepared for and published by Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC). Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology (Simon Fraser University). With Peter Anderson (March, 2004).
Invited Presentations and Events Organized
Invited speaker, “Common Alerting Protocol for Health Alerting in Sri Lanka and India” Invited presentation. World Meteorological Association (WMO), CAP Implementers Workshop. Apr. 6-7, 2011 Geneva.
Invited speaker, “Future trends in Mass Notification and Public Alerting.” Invited keynote presentation. Manitoba Disaster Management Conference. March 9, 2011. Winnipeg, MB.
Invited speaker, “Global Connections: The impact of social media and the key forces driving change in the new sharing economy.” Alberta Technology Innovations Futures Employee Day. Nov. 23. 2010, Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton
Event organizer and participant, Roundtable on the Future of Emergency Alerting and Public Warning in Alberta, Van Horne Institute/Alberta Emergency Management Agency (University of Alberta, April 7-8, 2008).
Invited speaker, “Coming to Grips with Campus Emergency Messaging,” Emergency Preparedness of Canadian Campuses Workshop, Canadian Association of University Business Officers (Toronto, Mar. 27-28, 2008).
Invited speaker, Alberta Broadcaster Public Alerting Recognition Symposium, Alberta Emergency Management Agency (Red Deer, Jan. 14, 2008).
Event organizer and co-chair, National Roundtable on Campus Emergency Messaging, University of Alberta (Nov. 26, 2007).
Co-chair, “Competition in Canada’s Wireless Industry” Roundtable Event. Sponsored by Van Horne Institute and WiTec Alberta. Alberta Research Council Building, Calgary (April 25, 2007).
Invited speaker, National Science Foundation workshop on Sensor-based Detection Systems for Tsunami Warning, “Social Sustainability of Hazard Warning Systems in Sri Lanka.” University of California, Berkeley (November, 2006).
Invited speaker, ITU/OASIS Workshop on Public Alerting, “Implementing Common Alerting Protocol for Hazard Warning in Sri Lanka.” Geneva (October, 2006).
Invited speaker and session chair, Learning Initiatives on Reforms for Network Economics Asia (LIRNEasia), Sri Lanka Last-Mile Hazard Warning System Project. Common Alerting Protocol and Hazard Warning workshops. Moratuwa, Sri Lanka (July, 2006).
Invited speaker, Learning Initiatives on Reforms for Network Economics Asia (LIRNEasia) public lecture. “Responsive Innovation and Disaster Mitigation.” Colombo, Sri Lanka. (July, 2006).
Invited speaker. Learning Initiatives on Reforms for Network Economics Asia (LIRNEasia), Sri Lanka Last-Mile Hazard Warning System, project workshop. Moratuwa, Sri Lanka (January, 2006)
Areas of Expertise
- Social media
- Mobile and wireless communications
- History of telecommunications
- Public safety communications
- Canadian communication policy and regulation
- Canadian communication history and theory
Contact
gordon.gow@ualberta.ca
(780) 492-6111