Dr. Lettie Conrad has completed the Gateway PhD program with her doctorate conferred by Queensland University of Technology, the former partner university of the San José State University School of Information.

Conrad noted that the Gateway PhD program is “singular and special, offering part-time access to a rigorous and innovative community of global information science scholars.” Dr. Virginia Tucker was Conrad’s supervisor from the SJSU School of Information. “As a member of the doctoral cohort, Lettie was unwavering in her support of the Gateway community of scholars,” said Tucker.

Conrad’s dissertation, Managing academic information: A grounded theory of the student-researcher information experience, “explored the information experiences of master’s-level students when managing academic information in their coursework and research training.” Conrad’s research showed that academic information management can be expressed in a personal manner, depending on the student. “Lettie’s research is impactful knowledge for our understanding of information experience, and the pioneering method she developed of using card sorting in qualitative interviews is a significant methodological contribution,” said Tucker.

Conrad currently works as a publishing and product development consultant and has “20 years of experience in scholarly publishing.” The Gateway PhD program has opened professional and personal opportunities for Conrad. She mentioned how important it is for her to continue working with the Gateway PhD community. “The Gateway program’s strong and supportive community of critical friends is perhaps one of the most unique and impactful aspects of this doctoral experience, and I look forward to giving back and supporting new students in this program for many years to come,” said Conrad.

The Gateway PhD program is currently being offered in a partnership between the SJSU School of Information and Manchester Metropolitan University. Students can earn a Doctorate of Philosophy degree in Library and Information Management from Manchester Metropolitan University without having to relocate to England.