News Story

Marcbucks Celebration for KMi’s Oldest and Newest Professors

KMi Reporter, Tuesday 26 Mar 2013

Emeritus Professor Marc Eisenstadt and Professor of Learning Informatics Simon Buckingham Shum joined together to ‘clink coffee mugs’ at the opening of our new Marcbucks Coffee area by the KMi Podium, today.

Emeritus Professor Eisenstadt returned to KMi today to cut the ribbon on the space we have created in his name next to the well known Stadium Podium webcast venue here in the lab. He recalled the history of KMi – back into our origins in 1995,

Marc then shared his first Marcbucks mug of tea and a donut with the young researcher who joined us from York University as part of the (then) New Technology Research Initiative for that 1995 KMi launch and who is now our latest Professor! Quite a few of the NTRI staff have remained with the University since that auspicous launch by Professor Tom Vincent and Professor Marc Eisenstadt, and it was great to see the old and the new together again.

The rules of the new Marcbucks space were underlined by the KMi Director: "No work here" said Professor Scott, "… come away from your desk to unplug, and return fresh to the challenges of Knowledge Media for the Open University!" Marc noted that Google and other companies ensure that workers have time to step away from their desks – so this idea could help us to keep up the freshness and innovation of which we are so proud!