John Kim

John Kim is an Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Cultural Studies at Macalester College's College of Humanities, currently on leave for fall 2023. His interdisciplinary work bridges new media theory, digital humanities, and environmental studies with a particular focus on the Mississippi River and Anthropocene research.

Kim's research interests center on new media, interactive art, and digital humanities, with expanding work in Anthropocene studies, river ecology, and data visualization. As both theorist and practitioner, he has published widely including the book Rupture of the Virtual (2016) and numerous journal articles, while also creating interactive installations exhibited at MassMOCA, Dia Center for the Arts, and Northern Spark.

His recent scholarly output demonstrates significant engagement with Mississippi River studies and Anthropocene research, with 15 publications from 2016-2025 showing evolution from media theory to environmental humanities. Key projects include the Open School for Kinship and Social Exchange, Anthropocene Commons network, Data Sensing project, and Futures North art collective that created a public art piece for a St. Paul baseball stadium.

• Anthropocene Commons network member
• Co-creator of Futures North public art collective
• Lead on Mississippi River Open School initiative
• Organizer of Mining Conversations series on extraction landscapes

Before academia, Kim worked as a programmer and designer at Internet startups, bringing practical tech experience to his teaching and research. He has previously taught at University of San Francisco, Stanford University, and Williams College, establishing himself as a significant voice in new media and environmental humanities intersections.