Manuel Gándara | Escuela Nacional de Conservacion Restauracion y Museografia (original) (raw)

Born in Cuernavaca, Mor., México (03/18/1952). Master in Science, Antropology with Specialization in Archaeology (1977 -Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia, ENAH), of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH). Doctoral candidate in Anthropology (University of Michigan), with graduate courses in philosophy of science (1978-1982). Ph. D. in Design and New Technologies (Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana - Azcapotzalco (2001), with specialization in Computer-Human Interaction; Ph. D. in Anthropology, ENAH, (2008).

Full-time researcher at INAH since 1972. Started teaching in 1974, at the B.A. in Archaeology program at ENAH. In 1990 co-founded and became a professor the Graduate Program in Archaeology. In 2012 moved to the Graduate Program on Museum Studies at the Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía (ENCRyM), where he currently teaches.

He has participated in various archaeological field projects (Tula, Chalcatzingo, Cuanalán, Ixcateopan, among others). Director of the Abasolo and Cuicuilco Projects. He was responsible for the archaeological field technique courses (1976 to 1988) at ENAH. However, his work has concentrated on archaeological theory and, by extension, on epistemology and philosophy of science, field in which he has published extensively.

In 1984 he wrote a computer simulation (“Sur de la Cuenca”), to teach methodology based on Sanders, Parsons and Stanley’s theory of state origins. This led him to explore the world of computer based education, of which he was a pioneer. He developed the first microcomputer catalog (for the Museo Comunitario de Santa Ana del Valle, 1986); and the first multimedia catalog for a museum (Regional de Oaxaca, 1986-1989). These experiences took him into the fields of museology, on one hand, and of computer-human interaction, on the other.

In 1993 he developed the first truly multimedia interactive program for a museum (De la Cultura Maya, Chetumal), to which more than 36 other programs would follow for other museums. Collaborating with some of the best museum designers in Mexico provoked his interest on the museum as a medium for educational communication; and, in particular, the role heritage interpretation could have in preventive conservation. It also encouraged him to deepen his expertise on human-computer interaction, which would eventually made him an specialist on interaction design and usability, specially for educational software.

Ever since the mid-90’s, his interest in museums grew to become what today is his main area of academic work; he developed a communication strategy called “Divulgación Significativa” (meaningful dissemination) of archaeological heritage, based on "thematic interpretation" (Ham 1992, 2013), which is currently being used to develop interpretive materials for museums and heritage sites. He presently directs of a field project which conducted the first systematic visitor studies at archaeological sites (Paquimé, El Tajín, Uxmal y Xochicalco). Currently he is working on the new wayside labels for Xochicalco, in cooperation with the Dirección de Operación de Sitios del INAH.

He directed ENAH, the Centro de Tecnología y Medios Educativos (SEP) and the Centro de Cultura Digital/INTTELMEX, among other positions of responsibility.

He has taught more than a 100 lecture courses and seminars at the BA, MA and Ph.D levels, as well as training workshops on all of his fields of interest, in Mexican and foreign institutions. He has also delivered more than 160 lectures and papers both in Mexico and abroad.

He has published several books on his fields of interest; the most recent one with Antonieta Jiménez, is on heritage interpretation (Interpretación del Patrimonio Cultural: Pasos hacia una divulgación significativa. INAH. 2018); as well as papers in academic journals and book chapters. In the 1990's and early 2000's he also wrote and conducted programs for educational television (CECTE-ILCE-EDUSAT and Cla@e-Direct TV channels), on computers in education, digital media and the arts, and heritage and museums.

He is a member of SNI (level II). Fullbright and CONACYT Scholar. He has received several distinctions, among them the Best Professor in Anthropology (UDLA-P), and the Distinguished Scholar Award of the University of South Wales, Australia. Recently he received the Distinction of 45 years of seniority at INAH.
Supervisors: Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, Jaime Litvak, Carlos Navarrete, Felipe Bate, Kent Flannery, Peter Railton, Henry Wright, Larry Sklar, José Álvarez Manilla, Gustavo Flores, Felipe Bracho, Ana María Prieto, Joyce Marcus, Iker Larrauri, Miguel Ángel Fernández, Alfonso Soto Soria, José Enrique Ortíz Lanz, Jorge Angulo, Jorge Agostoni, Javier Helguea, Pedro Hernández-Ramos, and Ramón Ferreiro
Phone: (52)(55)5022-3440 (oficina)
Address: Posgrado en Museología
Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía del
Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia
General Anaya N° 187. Col. San Diego Churubusco.
CP 04120. Del. Coyoacán. México DF

less