About Mara
 
Dr. Mara Adelman (Ph.D., U. of Washington). I am an associate professor in the Department of Communication at Seattle University where I have taught for the past 14 years. Prior to this time I spent over 12 years traveling around the world, in addition to teaching in China and at Northwestern University. In the summer of 2006 I attended a week long seminar on the teaching of Contemplative Practices (in university courses) offered by the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society (http://www.contemplativemind.org/)
	
My early work focused on supportive relationships in personal and nonintimate networks. Communicating Social Support (1987) expanded to the study of social support networks in more specific contexts, including its role in cross-cultural adaptation, living together with AIDS, coping with cancer, and in retail and service encounters. I also became somewhat of an “expert” on dating services and mediated mate-seeking, a fascinating network phenomenon. After 7 years of ethnographic and quantitative study, I co-authored with Dr. Lawrence Frey, The Fragile Community: Living Together with AIDS (1997). This latter text won the National Jesuit Book Award and the NCA Applied Communication Award. In addition to publishing several books, articles, and book chapters in both the business and communication field, I have produced several ethnographic videos.

RATIONAL FOR WORKSHOP:  

This workshop emerged from my work and teaching in the area of restorative solitude.  In this course (see website, "solitudecourse.com") students assess and discuss their engagement with technology.  Their level of distraction with technology became a central topic in this course.  Later I read Maggie Jackson's superb book, "Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age.”
 
The bee in my bonnet had landed.  I felt strongly that the topic of distraction was silenced amidst the cultural wash of technology, the techno-hegemony that "more is better" and the nonflexive stance by universities in helping students (and faculty) understand their own state of distraction.  Faculty response to my initial call for this workshop was astounding.  Within 2 hours, over 22 faculty RSVP that they were interested, over 31 finally RSVP for the workshop, and 28 attended.  We had 5 students who served as notetakers for faculty discussion.
Hilarie Cash, author and therapist on internet/gaming addiction was a guest speaker.  
 
Our workshop sought reflection, insight, and solutions.  This website is design to continue this conversation on the state of distraction in our lives.  Feel free to disseminate, use materials, or contact me for further information.
 
Enjoy, Mara Adelman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Seattle University Dept. of Communication
206)398-4316
mara@seattleu.edu

Click here to download Mara’s Resumehttp://www.contemplativemind.orgmailto:mara@seattleu.eduPresenter Bio_files/Adelman%20CV-1.pdfshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2