| |
|
18 April 2000
To Whom It May Concern,
It gives me great pleasure to introduce Nisar Keshvani,
who has successfully completed a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) and
Master of Arts (Research) at Queensland University of Technology.
Nisar has contributed significantly to the School of Media and Journalism's
programs during his two and a half years with us. Nisar is a self-motivated,
industrious and pleasant journalism educator who is well-liked by
his colleagues, peers and students. |
In 1998, Nisar coordinated the production of Communique Online, the
Schools flagship online newspaper as his final-year undergraduate
project. His editorship resulted in two awards - the 1998 Ozzie Award
for Best Occasional Student Publication (any medium) and the inaugural
Dr Charles Stuart Prize for Best Occasional Student Publication (any
medium). Our paper beat many other universities throughout Australia
and New Zealand to clinch the award from the Journalism Education
Association of Australia.
Since then, Nisar has tutored 1st - 3rd year undergraduate students
and become our resident webmaster. He took over as Managing Editor
of Communique Online in 1999 and successfully pioneered and implemented
an online component for one of our units, MJB303 News Production.
He formalised its structure bringing students through the online news
gathering/production process. He developed essential hardware/software
support and introduced students to important Computer-Assisted Reporting
concepts, web design and essential Internet skills.
A number of his students with no prior Internet knowledge, are now
online journalists with local and foreign electronic publications.
He also tutored students in MJB101 Journalism Information Systems
(an introductory unit to technology for journalists) and MJB239 Journalism
Ethics and Issues. |
Nisar has contributed significantly to the School of Media and Journalism's
programs during his two and a half years with us. He is a self-motivated,
industrious and pleasant journalism educator who is well-liked by
his colleagues, peers and students..
|
Nisar particularly impressed me when he single-handedly designed and
produced the Public Journalism Project website within a very short
time frame. Public Journalism is a prestigious project funded by the
Australian Research Council in alliance with QUT, The Courier-Mail,
Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and the Ethnic Communities Council
of Queensland. During this period Public Journalism was awarded the
Print Media Peace prize by the United Nations Association of Australia
in 1998 and 1999. |
His editorship resulted in two awards - the 1998 Ozzie Award for Best
Occasional Student Publication (any medium) and the inaugural Dr Charles
Stuart Prize for Best Occasional Student Publication (any medium).
|
Other websites Nisar has developed and maintained include the School
of Media & Journalism website, the Centre for Media Policy &
Practice and QUT’s Digital Media Programme sites.
Nisar's Masters research examined the Internet's impact on journalists
and their changing work practices in the new media environment and
delivered fresh insight on the integrated or online newsroom. He is
disseminating his findings through a series of conference papers,
presentations and publications and in so doing, will make a valuable
contribution to the journalism practice, news organisations and the
future of journalism education.
He is currently working as a researcher with colleagues to introduce
international material into our units and arrange overseas industrial
placements, with the aim of exposing students to international issues.
They would then be suited to practising journalism worldwide with
the long-term goal of restructuring QUT's journalism course. |
Nisar is a self-driven, motivated and outstanding individual who excels
under pressure. It has been a pleasure having Nisar with us and I
have absolutely no reservation in recommending him as a valuable asset
to prospective employers. I wish him every success in his future research
and career. Please do not hesitate to contact me, if you require further
information.
Yours sincerely
Stuart Cunningham (Professor)
Head, School of Media and Journalism
Contact
details available upon request |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
