Quantum² : InfoStars : Dr. Thomas J. Froehlich

Dr. Thomas J. Froehlich

In preparing the next generation of information professionals for the challenges of tomorrow, Dr. Thomas J. Froehlich has distinguished himself as a visionary in the field of information science, which has earned him the title of Quantum² InfoStar.

Tom is the chief architect and director of the interdisciplinary master’s program in Information Architecture and Knowledge Management (http://iakm.kent.edu), which opened at Kent State University in 2001 (Kent, Ohio). In developing this innovative program, he foresaw the value of an interdisciplinary program encompassing three specific emerging disciplines: Information Architecture (IA), Information Use (IU), and Knowledge Management (KM), and then to create a graduate degree for a Master of Science in Information Architecture and Knowledge Management (IAKM).

Tom currently teaches in the areas of ethical concerns of information professionals, information science, online information systems, network and software resources, information architecture, knowledge management and interface design. Other research interests include the philosophical foundations of information science, with special focus on social epistemology and relevance criteria in information retrieval systems; information technologies in library and information science; and curriculum development in the information professions.

Tom is active in the American Society for Information Science, the Information Architecture Summit, the Association for Library and Information Science Education, and the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA).

In addition to his work at Kent State, Tom is also well known internationally for his work in information science. He has led workshops, seminars, and classes and given presentations around the world including many countries in Europe, Asia, and Aus tralasia.