introduction, graduate study?

[Lyn A Headley]

hello squeaklanders,

My name's Lyn Headley, and although I've been following squeak as an
outsider for several years now, I haven't yet moved beyond playing
with it.  Discovering the squeakland site made me think that might
change soon, as I realized the deep correspondence between the
project's goals and my own.

My undergraduate background is in computer science, and I'm interested
in building citizens.  I have arrived by way of the "virtual
community" route, and thus still take a (currently web-)
community-centric approach to the citizen-building task.  Two of my
current intellectual idols are paulo freire and amartya sen.  My
favorite programming language is Common Lisp, but free CL
_environments_ are currently still in the dark age.  Squeak obviously
shines here.

I'm looking for a graduate school for next year, and the
interdisciplinary nature of my interests makes the search a bit
haphazard.  What I have found is the "Science and Technology Studies"
rubric, which I hope, given the right environment, would afford the
flebibility to develop my research goals.  Other possibilities I have
discovered include Engineering and Public policy (CMU and Wash Univ/St
Luis have programs).  I would also consider the right program in
philosophy, sociology, computer science, education, political science,
etc.  The degree program title does not interest me.  The scholarship
and environment are what matters in my view.

My ultimate goal is to understand and foster individual and collective
empowerment, dialog, development and freedom.  I believe networked
computer systems will be involved somehow, and that the processes of
learning and communication will be central.  I think a lot of others
here have similar beliefs, and I'm excited to be a part of the
discussion.  

If anyone has any recommendations or contacts for possible places of
study or mentors in this field I would be extremely grateful to hear
of them.

-Lyn