dr. meg smith
@megsmith.bsky.social
• Interim Director & Research Asst Prof of Digital Humanities at @siueiris.bsky.social
• Medieval/early modern Irish historian
• Public transit enthusiast & urban cyclist
• Die-hard Packers fan
• Avid quilter/xstitcher
• Margaret, not Megan
• She/her
• STL
• Medieval/early modern Irish historian
• Public transit enthusiast & urban cyclist
• Die-hard Packers fan
• Avid quilter/xstitcher
• Margaret, not Megan
• She/her
• STL
Pinned
dr. meg smith
@megsmith.bsky.social
· Jan 1
How it started, how it’s going, #DigitalHumanities style
Professional snoops
December 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Professional snoops
Already watched Knives Out and jonesing for more murder, hellfire and brimstone, and possible revenants? Well! 125 years ago today, William Le Queux published "The Mystery of Montmartre" in @stltoday.com. I threw together a little edition for the Christmas ghost story crowd.
#DigitalHumanities
#DigitalHumanities
The Mystery of Montmartre
Ghost stories were a mainstay of holiday entertainment at the turn of the 20th century. This tale, written by William Le Queux and published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on December 23, 1900, sets a...
msmith0913.github.io
December 23, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Already watched Knives Out and jonesing for more murder, hellfire and brimstone, and possible revenants? Well! 125 years ago today, William Le Queux published "The Mystery of Montmartre" in @stltoday.com. I threw together a little edition for the Christmas ghost story crowd.
#DigitalHumanities
#DigitalHumanities
Happy holidays to us! The best gifts are free (open-access).
It’s publication day! Check out this new piece from @megsmith.bsky.social and Laura Milsk Fowler on #DigitalHumanities pedagogy. Meg and Laura offer bite-sized but powerful classroom activities that teach humanistic approaches to data and build tech skills and confidence to tackle larger projects.
Small Data for Maximal Effect: Integrating Digital Humanities, Digital Ethics, and Pedagogy across a College Curriculum | Small Data for Maximal Effect: Integrating Digital Humanities, Digital Ethics,...
by Margaret K. Smith and Laura Milsk Fowler
cuny.manifoldapp.org
December 23, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Happy holidays to us! The best gifts are free (open-access).
Reposted by dr. meg smith
🎉🎉 Huge congrats to IRIS co-founder Dr. Kristine Hildebrandt on being named Distinguished Research Professor of English!
The award recognizes her significant achievements in the field of linguistics & her many contritions to research, mentorship, and DH infrastructure at SIUE and beyond.
The award recognizes her significant achievements in the field of linguistics & her many contritions to research, mentorship, and DH infrastructure at SIUE and beyond.
www.siue.edu
December 18, 2025 at 4:38 PM
🎉🎉 Huge congrats to IRIS co-founder Dr. Kristine Hildebrandt on being named Distinguished Research Professor of English!
The award recognizes her significant achievements in the field of linguistics & her many contritions to research, mentorship, and DH infrastructure at SIUE and beyond.
The award recognizes her significant achievements in the field of linguistics & her many contritions to research, mentorship, and DH infrastructure at SIUE and beyond.
Every time I send a teams message on a Saturday and people respond immediately, TWO angels lose their wings.
a woman says it 's me hi and i 'm the problem it 's me
Alt: a snip from a Taylor Swift music video where she says “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.”
media.tenor.com
December 13, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Every time I send a teams message on a Saturday and people respond immediately, TWO angels lose their wings.
Reposted by dr. meg smith
Historian focusing on early modern book culture here. I am not sure that feeding a private company with all our past handwritings from archives is a solution or a way forward. Google‘s AI studio is a data trap. #skystorians
Gemini’s ability to read handwritten archival documents has importance beyond the humanities. It opens new frontiers for scientific research and collaboration with the humanities.
foundhistory.org/seeing-old-s...
#ClimateScience #DataScience #Agriculture #Archives #Research #LandGrant #AI
foundhistory.org/seeing-old-s...
#ClimateScience #DataScience #Agriculture #Archives #Research #LandGrant #AI
Seeing Old Science
Gemini’s ability to read handwritten archival documents has importance beyond the humanities
foundhistory.org
December 11, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Historian focusing on early modern book culture here. I am not sure that feeding a private company with all our past handwritings from archives is a solution or a way forward. Google‘s AI studio is a data trap. #skystorians
Reposted by dr. meg smith
It has been an incredible whirlwind of a semester! Over the last four months:
✏️ We conducted over 50 class visits to teach digital humanities skills. (More than a whole course's worth of classroom time!)
📒 And oh yeah, we also ran a new course this semester on digital curation and storytelling!
1/
✏️ We conducted over 50 class visits to teach digital humanities skills. (More than a whole course's worth of classroom time!)
📒 And oh yeah, we also ran a new course this semester on digital curation and storytelling!
1/
December 10, 2025 at 10:20 PM
It has been an incredible whirlwind of a semester! Over the last four months:
✏️ We conducted over 50 class visits to teach digital humanities skills. (More than a whole course's worth of classroom time!)
📒 And oh yeah, we also ran a new course this semester on digital curation and storytelling!
1/
✏️ We conducted over 50 class visits to teach digital humanities skills. (More than a whole course's worth of classroom time!)
📒 And oh yeah, we also ran a new course this semester on digital curation and storytelling!
1/
Reason #82 why I keep a sewing machine at work: when I just need a *little* more time to finish a dress, I can hem it at the office.
December 9, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reason #82 why I keep a sewing machine at work: when I just need a *little* more time to finish a dress, I can hem it at the office.
Another request for recs, this time for a syllabus!
Social scientists, what examples of survey analysis have you found most accessible and engaging for freshmen? Ideally it would be a scholarly article, but journalistic pieces are good too!
#sociology #polisci #academicsky
Social scientists, what examples of survey analysis have you found most accessible and engaging for freshmen? Ideally it would be a scholarly article, but journalistic pieces are good too!
#sociology #polisci #academicsky
December 8, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Another request for recs, this time for a syllabus!
Social scientists, what examples of survey analysis have you found most accessible and engaging for freshmen? Ideally it would be a scholarly article, but journalistic pieces are good too!
#sociology #polisci #academicsky
Social scientists, what examples of survey analysis have you found most accessible and engaging for freshmen? Ideally it would be a scholarly article, but journalistic pieces are good too!
#sociology #polisci #academicsky
Hey parents and historians, any history book recs for an 8-year-old? Graphic novels are a big plus! My nephew is suddenly into history, but mostly via the I Survived series and youtube videos of dubious quality. I’d love to find something that’s compelling and engaging, but not so sensationalist.
December 7, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Hey parents and historians, any history book recs for an 8-year-old? Graphic novels are a big plus! My nephew is suddenly into history, but mostly via the I Survived series and youtube videos of dubious quality. I’d love to find something that’s compelling and engaging, but not so sensationalist.
Reposted by dr. meg smith
Framing GenAI as a battle between teachers and students is a red herring. Students and educators are on the same side. The real opposition are the data extraction firms and brokerages and their allies among the managerial class.
December 4, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Framing GenAI as a battle between teachers and students is a red herring. Students and educators are on the same side. The real opposition are the data extraction firms and brokerages and their allies among the managerial class.
Reposted by dr. meg smith
CFP alert! If you're working on digitization, replicas and reproductions, living history practices, or other forms of surrogate sources, we'd love to see a proposal for organized sessions at the 2026 Symposium on Medieval and Renaissance Studies. #DigitalHumanities #LivingHistory #CFP #MedievalSky
November 4, 2025 at 4:31 PM
CFP alert! If you're working on digitization, replicas and reproductions, living history practices, or other forms of surrogate sources, we'd love to see a proposal for organized sessions at the 2026 Symposium on Medieval and Renaissance Studies. #DigitalHumanities #LivingHistory #CFP #MedievalSky
Digital humanities and transit. Yup, that tracks.
December 4, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Digital humanities and transit. Yup, that tracks.
St. Louis is getting an early start on snow accumulation, and I’m still holding a grudge towards businesses who utterly neglected their obligation to clear their sidewalks last year. If you’d feel inspired to badger some big box stores about their sidewalks, feel free to adapt! #STL #stlouis #stlwx
December 3, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Hey, do you want to wear your love of digital humanities and cultural recovery on your sleeve? @recoveryhubaww.bsky.social has you covered! Make a donation of $50 or more between now and Christmas and receive your choice of a tote bag or t-shirt!
#DigitalHumanities #AmLit
#DigitalHumanities #AmLit
December 3, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Hey, do you want to wear your love of digital humanities and cultural recovery on your sleeve? @recoveryhubaww.bsky.social has you covered! Make a donation of $50 or more between now and Christmas and receive your choice of a tote bag or t-shirt!
#DigitalHumanities #AmLit
#DigitalHumanities #AmLit
Reposted by dr. meg smith
It's #GivingTuesday! Every dollar that comes into IRIS goes back out into community-engaged research, digital pedagogy, and #DigitalHumanities infrastructure. Throughout the day, we'll share some of the ways that your giving helps us support our communities. You can give to IRIS through fund 4332.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville - SIUE Connect
connect.siue.edu
December 2, 2025 at 4:50 PM
It's #GivingTuesday! Every dollar that comes into IRIS goes back out into community-engaged research, digital pedagogy, and #DigitalHumanities infrastructure. Throughout the day, we'll share some of the ways that your giving helps us support our communities. You can give to IRIS through fund 4332.
Most midwestern families have a stockpile of Ugly Hats. (If you think you don’t, check your grandparents’ closet.) I am here to tell you: keep the Ugly Hat! What it lacks in form, it more than makes up in function. You will not find a warmer hat than the Ugly Hat. And your grandma probably made it.
December 2, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Most midwestern families have a stockpile of Ugly Hats. (If you think you don’t, check your grandparents’ closet.) I am here to tell you: keep the Ugly Hat! What it lacks in form, it more than makes up in function. You will not find a warmer hat than the Ugly Hat. And your grandma probably made it.
500 miles apart but completely in sync, all the Smiths have finally watched Kpop Demon Hunters and come to precisely the same conclusion about my sister’s animals.
November 29, 2025 at 3:17 AM
500 miles apart but completely in sync, all the Smiths have finally watched Kpop Demon Hunters and come to precisely the same conclusion about my sister’s animals.
And for my next trick, sweet potatoes with whipped feta and hot honey! Now that we’ve eaten it, I don’t think the overpriced hot honey was a necessary purchase. You could totally just add chili flakes to the whipped feta and use regular honey.
Managed to squeeze a couple recipes into my sister’s packed and highly regimented cooking schedule today. First up: a custardy pecan pie, a century-old recipe from @tastinghistory.bsky.social.
November 28, 2025 at 12:34 AM
And for my next trick, sweet potatoes with whipped feta and hot honey! Now that we’ve eaten it, I don’t think the overpriced hot honey was a necessary purchase. You could totally just add chili flakes to the whipped feta and use regular honey.
Managed to squeeze a couple recipes into my sister’s packed and highly regimented cooking schedule today. First up: a custardy pecan pie, a century-old recipe from @tastinghistory.bsky.social.
November 27, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Managed to squeeze a couple recipes into my sister’s packed and highly regimented cooking schedule today. First up: a custardy pecan pie, a century-old recipe from @tastinghistory.bsky.social.
Automated teams notifications the night before Thanksgiving are violence
November 26, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Automated teams notifications the night before Thanksgiving are violence
Dogs who get carsick ride in the hazmat zone.
Parents who draw the short straw also ride in the hazmat zone, along with a minimum of six emergency towels in easy grabbing distance.
Parents who draw the short straw also ride in the hazmat zone, along with a minimum of six emergency towels in easy grabbing distance.
November 22, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Dogs who get carsick ride in the hazmat zone.
Parents who draw the short straw also ride in the hazmat zone, along with a minimum of six emergency towels in easy grabbing distance.
Parents who draw the short straw also ride in the hazmat zone, along with a minimum of six emergency towels in easy grabbing distance.
Look, requiring four letters at the time of application is whack. (Inspired by one job ad in particular, but also evergreen advice for all the hiring committees out there.)
November 20, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Look, requiring four letters at the time of application is whack. (Inspired by one job ad in particular, but also evergreen advice for all the hiring committees out there.)
Man, I love museums. My partner told his aunt about the exhibit, and now she’s digging into the history of urban renewal in Atlanta, to understand how policies of displacement have shaped her community.
The new Mill Creek exhibit at @mohistorymuseum.bsky.social is a beautiful combo of calling out injustice while celebrating Black community and placemaking.
And for my medievalists, here’s a reminder that STL is full of medievalisms that are easily and often wielded as a tool of white supremacy.
And for my medievalists, here’s a reminder that STL is full of medievalisms that are easily and often wielded as a tool of white supremacy.
November 18, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Man, I love museums. My partner told his aunt about the exhibit, and now she’s digging into the history of urban renewal in Atlanta, to understand how policies of displacement have shaped her community.
The new Mill Creek exhibit at @mohistorymuseum.bsky.social is a beautiful combo of calling out injustice while celebrating Black community and placemaking.
And for my medievalists, here’s a reminder that STL is full of medievalisms that are easily and often wielded as a tool of white supremacy.
And for my medievalists, here’s a reminder that STL is full of medievalisms that are easily and often wielded as a tool of white supremacy.
November 16, 2025 at 12:48 AM
The new Mill Creek exhibit at @mohistorymuseum.bsky.social is a beautiful combo of calling out injustice while celebrating Black community and placemaking.
And for my medievalists, here’s a reminder that STL is full of medievalisms that are easily and often wielded as a tool of white supremacy.
And for my medievalists, here’s a reminder that STL is full of medievalisms that are easily and often wielded as a tool of white supremacy.