Author: Aiden Johnson

Aiden Johnson – DHA Introduction

Aiden Johnson on
Photo of Aiden Johnson in a blue and white shirt with a smiling expression at a restaurant. There are windows sprawling on the walls with sunny weather outside. On the table is an ice cream treat, and a lit candle.

As a Senior Digital Humanities Associate, I can utilize the tools that I learned last year but to a much greater extent. While last year I was simply learning the ropes, now I can confidently create. My experience at ILiADS (Institute of Liberal Arts and Digital Scholarship) this past summer has given me an idea of Digital Humanities not just at Carleton, but on a national level. I am excited to take what I learned at Vassar back to Carleton for my Senior year. Last year was about exploring Digital Humanities while this year is my chance to delve into the specific work I am interested in. I want to work on museum curation, user experience, and technical challenges Carleton faces in digital scholarship. In my past Digital Humanities class, we worked on the conversion of traditional humanities into engaging and accessible digital works. I think this stands as Digital Humanities’ most powerful capability, and this is what draws me most to it. In the past I have worked with ArcGIS, Omeka, WordPress. One obscure Digital Humanities tool that I stumbled upon in my research was Google Books Ngram Viewer, which identifies the trends in language from the vast data supply at Google Books – this was interesting to me and I wonder how to incorporate a similar framework using written work from the Carleton archives! For more look at my projects, head to theaidenjohnson.com

Digital Humanities Associate End of Year Reflection – Aiden Johnson

Aiden Johnson on

My time this year as a DHA has truly opened my eyes to the world of Digital Humanities. Before becoming a DHA, I had only a blurry understanding of what Digital Humanities was as a field of study and practice. Through this experience, however, I have gained a much deeper recognition towards the ways technology, data, and communication interplay to create engaging works that integrate new styles from traditional humanities. Working and collaborating with such an amazing group of staff has transformed my perspective of digital humanities and digital scholarship – and has strengthened my understanding

Throughout the year, I had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects that helped me develop both technical and collaborative skills. I contributed to Omeka metadata work, and I spent a significant amount of time creating and editing WordPress websites – such as some of Carleton’s official blogs as well as blogs for different history classes. This has given me a greater understanding of web design, user experience, and how digital platforms shape the way information is presented and understood.

In addition, I was able to continue fine-tuning my skills in ArcGIS and digital mapping – such as the Migration and Mobility mapping project. I have become more confident in using spatial data and visualization tools to communicate information in engaging ways.

One of the most exciting outcomes of my time as a DHA is that I was selected to develop my own Digital Humanities project this summer at Vassar College’s Ctrl-Alt-Delete Retreat. This opportunity would not have been possible without the mentorship and encouragement, I gained throughout this year. Being a DHA has given me the confidence to pursue larger independent projects and has shown me how Digital Humanities can be used as a powerful tool for research, communication, and creativity.

Overall, this year has been incredibly rewarding both academically and personally. I am grateful for everything I have learned, the people I have worked with, and the opportunities this position has opened for me. My experience as a DHA has not only introduced me to new technical skills, but has also fundamentally changed the way I think about scholarship, collaboration, and the role of digital communication in the humanities.

I would like to express my gratitude for all of my Digital Humanities staff including Austin Mason, Sarah Calhoun, Em Palencia, Wiebke Kuhn, and Ariel Kay. As well as my awesome DHA coworkers Nina and Zhoukai.

I am excited for what the future has in place for me this next coming year!

Aiden Johnson Introduction

Aiden Johnson on

Hello! My name is Aiden Johnson, and I am a Junior Computer Science Major from Rochester, Minnesota. I am involved on campus in many ways. I am the Creative Director and Treasurer of Carleton’s Cowprint Magazine, Outreach Coordinator for Carls with Artistic Taste (CAT), and a member of Carleton’s Swim and Dive Team! (I specialize in the 200 Butterfly).

Headshot of Aiden Johnson wearing a light blue Lacoste polo shirt. The background is greenery and pavement.

As someone who is equally interested in Digital Art as I am in Computer Science, being a Digital Humanities Associate was an obvious choice. One thing that was brought to my attention from Miriam Posner’s How Did They Make That? The Video! was how Digital Humanities can transform user understanding of concepts in ways that are much more accessible than traditional print media allows. One such example being the Green Book Digital Humanities project, which included a digital map that made processing the locations in the Green Book much easier to understand. Strengthening my skills in data presentation through Digital Humanities in mediums such as ArcGIS is a big goal for me this year. I hope to assist in making information more accessible as a Digital Humanities Associate this coming school year!

Categories: Bio