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Andrew Cohill
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Interview
Biography
Dr. Andrew Michael Cohill (cohill@bev.net) is an
internationally recognized information architect. His career in computing and networked
information systems covers more than twenty years work in private industry, consulting,
and academia. Cohill worked for many years in the private sector. He has extensive
publishing experience, years of information systems design, and a broad background in
telecommunications from his work at Bell Labs and AT&T.
Cohill  is currently the Director of
the Blacksburg Electronic Village (BEV) for Virginia Tech, and an adjunct faculty member
in the Department of Architecture at Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech is one of the top 50
research universities in the United States. The Blacksburg Electronic Village is one of
the most successful community network projects in the world. More than 80% of the town's
population is connected directly to the Internet via modems and high speed connections,
and over two-thirds of the local business community uses the Internet to advertise
products and services. Cohill has guided the development of BEV Internet services since
the start of service in 1993, well before the Internet became a household word. The
Blacksburg Electronic Village is a model for the development of community networks around
the country, and much of Cohill's efforts are related to teaching others how to create
sustainable electronic communities. |
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| Cohill regularly teaches classes on information architecture. He has published
numerous papers, articles, and book chapters, and has spoken widely on networked
information systems, the Internet, and the value of community-based networks. He is editor
and author of Community Networks: Lessons Learned from Blacksburg, Virginia (now in the
2nd edition). He is well-known internationally for his work, and has spoken in Japan on
computing and technology. Cohill is active professionally in the Environmental Design
Research Association, the Association For Community Networking, and the Association for
Computing Machinery. He regularly works on a consulting basis with private industry. |
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