Digital-media expert Sree Sreenivasan named visiting prof at journalism school in US

Indian-American digital-media expert and former chief digital officer of the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art Sree Sreenivasan has been appointed as the inaugural visiting professor of Digital Innovation and Audience Engagement at a leading journalism school here.

The Stony Brook University School of Journalism announced that Sreenivasan has been appointed as the first Marshall R. Loeb Visiting Professor of Digital Innovation and Audience Engagement.

Sreenivasan joined the Journalism School on September 1 and in his new role, he will engage students and faculty in the practice and power of journalism by harnessing digital innovations and research to enhance news content, delivery and audience engagement.

Describing Sreenivasan as a "consummate professional", interim dean of the Stony Brook University School of Journalism Laura Lindenfeld said in a statement that he "joins the school as its curriculum is being reshaped to match a more demanding time for journalism and the students who will be part of its future".

"Sree's experience, creative approach and dedication to integrating high-quality journalism to the digital space is vital in today's news ecosystem," Lindenfeld said.

A former Columbia Journalism School professor for 20 years, Sreenivasan said he is "honoured" to be a visiting professor at the Stony Brook Journalism School.

"The fact that the professorship is named for the legendary Marshall Loeb, whom I admired and had the opportunity to work with, is a special honour," he said.

Sreenivasan has worked in the media, higher education, nonprofit and government sectors. Given his expertise in digital media, Sreenivasan has previously been the chief digital officer of Columbia University, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and of the City of New York.

He is co-founder of two journalism organisations: Online Journalists Association, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this month and the South Asian Journalists Association, a group of 1,000+ journalists in the US and Canada, an organisation that celebrates its 25th anniversary nest month.

The Stony Brook School of Journalism was established in 2006 and is the only school of journalism in the State University New York system (SUNY). In addition to its core undergraduate program of approximately 300 students, the School of Journalism houses the Colvin Center for International Reporting and the Center for News Literacy.