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Pat Seed, professor of history, has been selected as one of the inaugural Faculty Innovation Fellows by UCI Beall Applied Innovation. As part of her 2020-2021 appointment, Seed will advise and motivate colleagues interested in translating their own work into application, serve as ambassadors of UCI’s innovation culture within their schools and support Applied Innovation’s programs to spur excitement and increase engagement across the campus community. Additionally, Fellows will participate in the Distinguished Speakers series and receive a $5,000 stipend.

Seed is an award-winning interdisciplinary scholar whose research blends history and digital humanities. Her projects span game design for history topics, history of Renaissance cartography, and modeling historic data through geographic information systems. Her co-created computer game, “Sankofa,” immerses its players in 19-century Ghana and has garnered attention from the Smithsonian Institution and the California African American Museum. Additionally, she is the co-creator of the first 3-D model of the oldest slave fort on the West African coast, Elmina. Seed also conducted the first study predicting rising sea levels on the West African coast, showing the devastating impact it would have on the bird populations of Northern Europe, Greenland and Siberia. The work earned her the 2008 ESRI prize for 100 Best Maps of 2007.

“As both a historian and technology enthusiast, Professor Seed has an unparalleled ability to bring historical data and stories to life through engaging platforms, from games and 3-D models to immersive maps,” said Tyrus Miller, dean of the UCI School of Humanities. “We are thrilled for her to be recognized by UCI Beall Applied Innovation for her innovative interdisciplinary projects.”

The selection committee considered Seed’s record of translating historical research discovery into applications that impact society as well as her commitment to enhancing UCI’s culture of innovation.

“We are encouraging and cultivating an innovative culture that helps bring big ideas to life,” said Richard Sudek, UCI chief innovation officer and executive director of UCI Beall Applied Innovation. “These faculty fellows understand and support this mindset and serve as integral contributors to the translation of research at UCI into applications that have social and commercial impact in the world.”

Seed was recognized at an awards reception held on Friday, Jan. 24 at the Cove.
History
Digital Humanities