To simplify our daily routines, devices designed for the “Internet of Things (IoT)” are usually equipped with cameras that can record images and videos, and transmit these to other devices. Subhan Ullah’s research focuses on increasing the security of these systems, which often have limited processing capacities. He has recently completed his doctoral thesis.

A scientific career demands great dedication and the willingness to demonstrate total commitment. Subhan Ullah, a graduate of the doctoral programme “Interactive and Cognitive Environments” (ICE), has provided impressive proof of both over the past few years. Upon completion of his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at his home university, the University of Malakand, he attended the International Islamic University in Islamabad, where he completed his Master’s degree. As the recipient of a European Union scholarship, he spent one year at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Germany. Next, Subhan Ullah applied for a place on the ICE doctoral programme, which was funded by the European Erasmus Mundus programme. A large part of his doctoral studies was spent conducting research in Klagenfurt, with one year at the University of Genoa in Italy. At the end of April he successfully concluded his doctoral degree with a viva examination.

Subhan Ullah’s research focus places him firmly on the pulse of time. After all, his work concentrates on improving the security of camera applications related to the “Internet of Things (IoT)”. For instance, if an elderly person has a technical support system in order to be able to continue to reside in a smart home for longer, numerous cameras are required. These transmit specifically selected information to monitoring terminal devices, for example they record when someone falls and does not stand up again. The problem is this: These smart devices have limited processing capacities, and this poses a big challenge as far as the encryption technologies are concerned. As Subhan Ullah explains, in terms of cyber security, camera systems must reliably safeguard four factors: confidentiality, which means that the data must be accessible to authorised persons only; authentication, which means that the data must actually come from a specific camera; integrity, which means that nobody should be able to interpose themselves between the camera and monitoring device, and finally, freshness, which means that the images must truly be recent. For his doctoral thesis, Subhan Ullah modified existing applications and harnessed their usefulness for the particular needs of multi-camera networks. The challenge he faced was this: In a system where several cameras transmit data, this information needs to be aggregated at a certain point, and then forwarded to a terminal device. These systems have a significantly greater number of node points, opening up additional security holes, which need to be closed.

Cyber security, especially the light-weight kind of security technology required for resource-restricted smart devices in IoT applications, represents Subhan Ullah’s central scientific concern. He now hopes to advance his expertise in the academic world; one option would be a research-related job in industry. He tells us about one of his hopes at the very end of the interview: A family man with five children living in Pakistan, Subhan Ullah finally wants to live together with his family, especially while the children are growing up. For now, the place where the family will be reunited has not yet been determined:  Always keen to travel, the researcher is currently applying for opportunities around the world from his base in Klagenfurt. In the meantime, Subhan Ullah, who is a passionate cyclist, intends to make a few more bike trips around Lake Wörthersee.

Der Beitrag More cyber security for intelligent cameras erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.

Source: AAU TEWI

Mediatisation has fundamentally transformed our interactions with medical professionals, our attitude to our own health, and our communication about health-related topics. In her research, Isabell Koinig deals with health communication. She addressed some of the phenomena which research has only taken up selectively, and whether she turns to Google herself when she feels a bit under the weather.

Those who manufacture and sell pharmaceutical products do not get to make a bargain with Isabell Koinig. The postdoc researcher at the Department of Media and Communication Studies relies on household remedies, handed down to her by her mother and grandmother. It is her belief, in general, that health is partly a matter of “mind-set” and that it has a mental component. As she says: “If I assume that I am resilient and that I can manage situations that present a challenge to my health, then I can draw on completely different strengths.” She also refrains from “googling” symptoms that might affect her.

This means that, as an individual, she is bucking the general trend, as her research in the field of health communications has revealed. Patients are increasingly turning into “health consumers”, and this also includes the conceptual aspect, as she explains. The term “health consumer” represents a new self-awareness: While physicians are still valued in terms of their professional authority, more and more individuals are taking their health matters into their own hands. This includes gathering information, frequently via the Internet: As a result, Koinig tells us, “health” is the sixth most frequent search term on the World Wide Web. This requires a change of thinking on part of physicians, who are turning to communication training more and more often, but also among the pharmaceutical companies aiming to sell their products. They use their advertisements to encourage “empowered” health consumers to buy this or that product.

Isabell Koinig recently spent a month as a visiting researcher at the Center for Health Communication at the University of Amsterdam, where she was introduced to other scientific approaches of exploring health communication. Describing her experiences, she reports: “While researchers in the German-speaking area tend to focus on studying how messages are received, scholars in Amsterdam go one step further and additionally ask: Which long-term behavioural changes do measures in the sphere of health communication produce? This approach has a more pronounced social science orientation.” She would like to use this approach in her upcoming research endeavours. Generally, she feels that many questions in this field remain unanswered. The design of her cumulative habilitation project is broad enough so that is able to explore the subject from several different angles.

For now, Isabell Koinig is fully committed to science, and she enjoys the time working in the university setting. Her path to date has been mostly linear: After completing her degrees in English and American Studies and Journalism in Klagenfurt – during her studies she spent several years working in the field of adult education – she was quickly able to secure a position in a project team, which led to a position as pre- and finally as postdoc researcher. She especially enjoys teaching: “It allows me the freedom to include topics that are of particular interest to me. With increasing age, I have a better grasp of the things that tend to elicit good feedback from students. Where health is concerned, and this also covers diet and fitness, we are right at the cutting edge.” Digitalisation, in particular, introduces new opportunities and challenges for health communication. mHealth, the use of mobile, electronic devices for health care purposes, is on the fast track; offers of this kind are booming and generating billions of dollars in turnover. “For me, as a scientist, it would be devastating if I knew that my research topic was limited”, Isabell Koinig states. It seems highly unlikely that she will have to face this risk in the thriving field of health communication.

Der Beitrag Health consumption on the Internet and consulting Doctor Google erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.

Source: AAU TEWI

Isabell Koinig is the programme director of the Master’s degree in Media and Convergence Management. Her research interests are broad and cover a spectrum that includes the science of advertising and market research, media economics, and international management. She spoke to us about interface management, nomophobia, and her personal approach to media studies.

How did you become a media and communication scientist?
The simple answer to this question would be: I have always enjoyed reading and writing. A more precise answer would be: I deliberately chose a field of study that develops quickly and does not stand still. I am curious and always look for new challenges, so the degree in Media and Communication Studies (in combination with English and American Studies) was the ideal choice for me.

What significance do you attach to media in today’s workplace?
Media determine our everyday lives – they facilitate many processes, but at the same time they bring about new challenges and, in the worst cases, lead to dependencies. In recent years, both media reception and human consumption have changed dramatically. News is increasingly being received online or even via social media, and purchases are increasingly made online. Google is the first source for search queries. This shift and dependency also becomes apparent when looking at the word of the year 2018, which the Oxford English Dictionary determined following an online survey: nomophobia. This refers to the fear of being separated from one’s mobile phone and thus being inaccessible to social and business contacts.

What exactly does convergence management mean?
Convergence describes the merging of previously separate areas that have increasingly become inseparable. This applies above all to industries, products, companies, media and technologies. The concept of convergence is exciting – many people believe that convergence does not affect them at all. But there is one example that nicely illustrates convergence: the smart phone, our everyday companion. The mobile or smart phone combines many of the services we need to manage our daily lives, e.g. Internet function, alarm clock, e-mail client, radio and TV. Convergence brings new challenges to nearly all companies, as the traditional boundaries are blurring and new (interface) management is required.

What special features does the master’s programme offer?
The form of convergence described above is, of course, only one example of the many developments we are facing today. For companies, for instance, the increase in mobile communication means that content has to be adapted to different devices, such as tablets and apps. This is where the term usability comes into play, because consumers or recipients only accept information that is prepared in an appealing and user-friendly way. In addition, companies are not only operating globally, but also across industries, which requires special knowledge of regional and legal conditions. A special feature of the master’s programme is its interdisciplinary nature. Students acquire knowledge and skills in the areas of media and communication science, economics, management and technical sciences, which are meant to prepare them for their future roles and positions in the European and international labour markets.

What career prospects do graduates of the MCM Master’s programme have?
Our graduates have gained a foothold in numerous branches in Austria and other European countries, where they work, for example, in marketing, sales management and database management at companies such as Momondo, Amazon, Sky or Kelag. Two of our graduates are also employed in the academic field or in media companies such as the Kleine Zeitung. Overall, companies value the education that the students have obtained, as they possess in-depth knowledge from three important areas: media and communication, business administration and technology and computer science.

Who can apply to join the Master’s degree programme?
In general, graduates of all Bachelor’s programmes can apply for the Master’s degree in Media and Convergence Management. Since the study is offered exclusively in English, excellent English skills (C1 level) are a prerequisite.

Could you briefly explain the application procedure?

All documents must be uploaded to our online application platform in English; afterwards, suitable candidates are selected.

The application period for the upcoming academic year runs from 1 March 2019 to 15 September 2019.

About the person
Isabell Koinig is the programme director of the interdisciplinary Master’s degree programme in Media and Convergence Management. The degree programme teaches students core skills in the areas of media and communication, management, marketing, and in the field of technology.

Der Beitrag Media and Convergence Management: Ideally qualified for professional challenges! erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.

Source: AAU TEWI

Our doctoral student Bernhard Guetz, who had written his master thesis on patient satisfaction under supervision from Sonja Bidmon, presented his master thesis at the end of March 2019 upon invitation at Junior Management Science (JUMS) conference in Hamburg.

In 2018, Bernhard’s thesis had been published in Junior Management Science journal already. It can be read here: http://dx.doi.org/10.5282/jums/v3i3pp106-145.

Further information on the conference and journal can be found here: https://jums.academy/zweite-junior-management-science-konferenz

Following his master thesis, Bernhard Guetz continued his research in the area of patient satisfaction and is currently doctoral student in the HSSCM doctoral program, again with Sonja Bidmon as advisor.

Congratulations on this great achievement and all the best for your doctoral studies, Bernhard!

Picture credits: © Junior Management Science e.V., Fotograf: Marco Wall

Der Beitrag Bernhard Guetz at JUMS conference in Hamburg erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.

Source: AAU TEWI