Brian Smith is an Associate Professor of Information Sciences & Technology (IST) and Education at The Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Smith's studies the use of computation to support and augment human performance and learning. Examples of his work include video annotation systems for biology education, GPS-enabled cameras and image databases for history education, and interventions around photography and computer visualizations to promote awareness of personal health practices. Current projects are underway to explore information design for informal, everyday decision-making. Prior to joining Penn State, Dr. Smith was on the faculty of MIT's Media Laboratory where he led a research consortium of 20 collaborating corporations to define new methods for information description, design, and dissemination. He is currently the principal investigator for IST's medical informatics research initiative and the research director for IST's involvement in Apple Computer’s Digital Campus Initiative. Dr. Smith received a Faculty Career Development Award from the National Science Foundation in 2000 to begin a research agenda around visual learning. He received the Jan Hawkins Award for Early Career Contributions to Humanistic Research and Scholarship in Learning Technologies from the American Education Research Association in 2004. Apple Computer also named him an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2004. He holds a B.S. degree in Computer Science & Engineering from UCLA and a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University.