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Donghua Tao: Eugene Garfield Scholarship Recepient
Hello, everybody! My name is Donghua Tao. I am currently a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Information Science & Learning Technologies at University of Missouri-Columbia. My research interest is human information seeking and searching behaviors, especially in the medical environment; user-centered system design, system evaluation, usability testing, etc. My dissertation study is to apply the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to propose a model of information resource selection and use for explaining and predicting user’s information resource selection behaviors. I hope my study could initiates a new research field in human information behavior from the social-cognitive-psychology perspective, and also provide practical value for collection development, information literacy instruction, managerial interventions for increasing library resources usage, improving information retrieval system’s utility and usability, and enriching library and information science education. I originally came from Beijing, China. I graduated in China Medical University majoring in Medical Library & Information Sciences in 1996. Then, I worked as a medical editor in a top level hospital in Beijing for five years, which included one year resident experience in the Department of Otolaryngoloy-Head & Neck Surgery in the same hospital. With the dream to explore the broad world of information science, I came to University of Missouri-Columbia to pursue my Ph.D. degree in 2001. As an international student, culture shock and language barrier were two biggest difficulties for me to get over with. Many professors and fellow students offer their hands to help me go through and adapt to the new environment. Formal academic training also built up the solid foundation for me to develop my research interests and future career goals. I would say: professor and fellow student’s supports and my own perseverance are necessity to urge myself to keep improving my academic and professional performance. Since 2005, I started my internship at Saint Louis University Medical Center Library as a health sciences reference librarian. This internship opportunity provided me with practical experience in working with patrons, through which, I can learn their perceptions on information resources and services, and observe their information seeking and searching behaviors. Daily reference services helped me to design my dissertation study in a more professional way. It is very honorable to receive Eugene Garfield Doctoral Disertation Fellowship offered by Beta Phi Mu. I sincerely appreciate the generosity and the support of Beta Phi Mu to sponsor research activities in the library and information science field. Pursuing a Ph.D. degree is a new pinnacle in my life, and Beta Phi Mu’s support energizes me to climb the peak of this mountain. Winning an award does not mean I am more excellent than others; on the contrary, it is an honor and it will encourage me to do my best in the future days. Thank you! Donghua Tao |
