The Watson Institute for International Studies recently launched a pilot website that provides an interactive platform compiling the ideas of scholars who visit the University into an easily accessible and explorative presentation. The institute's Angle site offers a multimedia forum that explores economic, social and political concerns at the heart of international policymaking. The website intends to further the institute's reach, expand its audience and delve into greater substantive depth on global issues.
Angle looks to "form connections between ... ideas being discussed" at different Watson Institute conferences held throughout the year, said Lindsay Richardson, co-creator of Angle and media coordinator at the Watson Institute.
It is also about "foregrounding media, as opposed to just the facts of events, to try to engage a bit beyond the audience on campus by putting videos front and center," said Ben Mandelkern, co-creator of Angle and media coordinator at the Watson Institute. "Overall, it is trying to create a visual brand that is available to those outside of Watson ... to make clear the connection to Watson and other events."
Diana Graizbord GS, a third -year graduate student in sociology and conference coordinator, said before each conference she sends a link to all participants so they can see both the day's agenda and its participants. After each conference, everyone participating is asked to write a memo or paper that will "live" on Angle and help to spur the interest of others who will access the site in the future.
"There are events at the Watson all the time that go up on the Watson page in the events listing and then disappear. Angle has created a space that is a little more active and permanent," Graizbord said.
Angle also looks to be part of the larger effort to revamp the outdated main institute website and introduce a contemporary format for the future of the institute on the web, Richardson said.
Creators Richardson and Mandelkern were initially tasked with creating websites for each conference as a component of the Watson's main website, Richardson said. From this came the idea to create an umbrella website, rather than separate sites for the different conferences.
"Angle will allow Watson to showcase the research of talented scholars and visitors in residence at the institute in a way that has not yet been done," wrote Carolyn Dean, interim director of the Watson Institute, in an email to The Herald. "By using high-quality videos that are short and accessible, we believe we can bring all the exciting work being done at the Watson Institute to a much broader audience."
