Ina Fourie

Ina Fourie

In Conversation

Episode 15 Ina Fourie

Retired Professor, Head of Department, and Chair of the School

In conversation with Ina Fourie, who retired as a Full Professor from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She has been Head of Department of Information Science and Chair of the School of Information Technology. She talks about growing up in apartheid South Africa, her work in health information behavior including cancer, grief, and palliative care, how personal experiences shaped her scholarly direction, with meaning, compassion and human connection being central to it all.

Trailer (1:00)

Interview (1:50:56)

https://youtu.be/b_hqFI3Uei8

Timecodes

0:57 Introduction

3:49 Early Life

15:23 South Africa

27:06 Career

36:39 Turning Points

42:31 Autoethnography

48:17 Serendipity

55:18 Information Science

1:02:26 Influences

1:11:55 Husband

1:19:36 Influential Books

1:21:36 Key Skills

1:27:12 Biggest Successes

1:30:28 Hardest Periods

1:34:34 Personal Conflict

1:37:47 Uncertainty

1:46:33 Goals

1:48:02 Mentoring Advice

This interview was supported by the iSchools Research Grant 2023.

More about Ina Fourie University of Pretoria | Google Scholar | LinkedIn

Yunjie (Calvin) Xu

Yunjie (Calvin) Xu at the Grand Canyon, 2009

In Conversation

Episode 14 Yunjie (Calvin) Xu
Professor, Fudan University

In conversation with Yunjie (Calvin) Xu, Professor at the Department of Information Management and Business Intelligence, School of Management, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. He talked about growing up poor in a farming family, his faith, the social problems of AI, and balancing work and family.

Trailer (1:00)

Interview (1:24:55)

Timecodes

0:00 Trailer
0:55 Intro
4:45 Growing up in poor farming village in China
9:24 What led to career in information management
14:18 Moving from China to the US
15:21 Why choose Calvin for an English name
16:59 Turning points in career
26:46 Serendipity and life priorities
34:05 Information science field
38:50 Influences
41:33 Publication and writing
58:18 Advice for new researchers
1:02:02 Biggest successes
1:03:09 Biggest challenges
1:12:21 Life principles
1:19:44 Meaning of happiness
1:21:18 Goals

This interview was supported by the iSchools Research Grant 2023.

More about Calvin Xu Fudan University | Personal website | Google Scholar

Lynn Perry Wooten

President Lynn Perry Wooten

In Conversation

Episode 12 Lynn Perry Wooten
9th President of Simmons University

In conversation with Lynn Perry Wooten, the 9th President of Simmons University and the first African American to lead the University since its founding in 1899. She talked about growing up, her family, philanthropy, being the Pandemic President, and her vision for the University’s future.

Trailer (0:50)

Interview (1:24:46)

Timecodes

0:00 Trailer

0:47 Intro

3:50 Growing up

7:14 Friends

8:09 Parents

10:42 Academia

16:57 Administration

22:57 Meeting anger with grace

26:01 Bringing out the best in people

26:23 Strategic Priorities

38:49 Culture of common ground

41:27 Leadership through friendship

49:29 Emotional intelligence

52:38 Self care

56:01 Work-life balance

59:09 Faith

1:04:01 Serendipity

1:06:59 Navigating life career challenges

1:10:10 Mentoring

1:12:15 Biggest successes

1:13:51 Hardest moments

1:16:56 Stress

1:18:13 Life lessons

This interview was supported by the iSchools Research Grant 2023.

Naresh Agarwal and President Lynn Perry Wooten during the 120th Simmons University Commencement, Boston, May 16, 2025

More about Lynn Perry Wooten – Simmons | Google Scholar | LinkedIn