Dr Allen Foster
BA, MSc, PhD, PGCTHE, FHEA

Reader - DIS
Department of Information Studies
Contact Details
- Email: aef@aber.ac.uk
- ORCID: 0000-0002-1086-8837
- Office: 3.20, Penbryn Building 5
- Phone: +44 (0) 1970 628412
- Research Portal Profile
Profile
Specialising in the areas of information management and information behaviour. Over the years I have supervised research students (MPhil, PhD, DProf) in a variety of related areas with aspects of information, communication access, behaviour and technology, serendipity, institutional repositories, technological adoption, health and justice systems and knowledge management. External activities include Joint Editor in Chief for the Journal of Information Science and have included research panels, advisory groups and consultancy, and external examiner roles for research and taught degrees.
Teaching
Module Coordinator
- DSM3220 - Digital Information Literacy
- ILM8620 - Knowledge and Information Architecture
- ILM3220 - Digital Information Literacy
- DS36520 - Management of Organisations
- ILM5220 - Studies in Management
- DS35720 - Knowledge and Information Architecture
- DSM7720 - Studies in Management
- IL30420 - Knowledge and Information Management
- DSM5420 - Information Services: Planning for Delivery
- DSM6820 - Knowledge and Information Architecture
- IL30220 - Creativity and Serendipity: theories and digital applications
- DS34020 - Information Literacy
- DS31620 - Information Retrieval
- ILM5420 - Information Services: Planning for Delivery
Tutor
- ILM8620 - Knowledge and Information Architecture
- ILM1460 - Dissertation
- ILM5420 - Information Services: Planning for Delivery
- ILM5220 - Studies in Management
- ILM3220 - Digital Information Literacy
Grader
Lecturer
- IL10520 - Effective Communication
- IL11120 - The Archival Inheritance
- IL30420 - Knowledge and Information Management
- ILM1460 - Dissertation
- ILM5220 - Studies in Management
- IL30220 - Creativity and Serendipity: theories and digital applications
- ILM5320 - Information Organisation and Retrieval
- ILM9020 - Information Systems in Organisations
- ILM2220 - Digital Collection Development
- IL10320 - The Cultural Heritage Landscape
- ILM2610 - Recordkeeping Theories and Contexts
- ILM4120 - Post Medieval Palaeography and Diplomatic
- ILM8620 - Knowledge and Information Architecture
- ILM2120 - Collections Care
- ILM3220 - Digital Information Literacy
- ILM5420 - Information Services: Planning for Delivery
- ILM8120 - Rare Books and Special Collections
- ILM2410 - Archives and Records - Practical Project
- ILM8220 - Collection Management
- IL33920 - Local Studies and Community Heritage
- ILM1820 - Medieval and Post -Medieval Palaeography and Diplomatic
- ILM2720 - Media Archives
- ILM5120 - Information and Society
- IL10120 - Foundations of Information Studies
- ILM2020 - Access, outreach and advocacy
- ILM2320 - Digital Preservation
- ILM2520 - Recordkeeping Process and Practice
- PGM4820 - Orientation in Professional Research
Coordinator
- ILM3220 - Digital Information Literacy
- IL30220 - Creativity and Serendipity: theories and digital applications
- ILM5420 - Information Services: Planning for Delivery
- ILM8620 - Knowledge and Information Architecture
- IL30420 - Knowledge and Information Management
- ILM5220 - Studies in Management
Teaching in a number of areas including Information Retrieval, Information Services, Information Literacy.
Research
Human Information Behaviour: Information Needs, Information Seeking and Searching Behaviour, Serendipity, Interdisciplinarity, Information Literacy and Information Skills, Knowledge Management, Technology and Communication, Mediated Communication, Information Problems. Research and publishing roles include editor for journals, reviewer, panel member, member of scientific committees, author, and research lead. I am currently working on developing theoretical and applied research in industrial and commercial enterprise.
Responsibilities
Coordinator for Postgraduate Research Student and Postgraduate Research Student Admissions