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I Wonder
Hi, my name’s Tim Gorichanazgor-SHON-iz. In my writing, teaching and research, I'd like to spark a little more wonder in all of us.
I teach and conduct research at Drexel University in the Department of Information Science, where I am an Associate Teaching Professor as well as Associate Department Head for Graduate Affairs.
I also write essays and fiction and run ultramarathons. Sometimes I run while I'm writing, and sometimes I write about running.
Follow me on Instagram at @timgorichanaz.
What I'm Up To
Here is more about me now (inspired by Derek Sivers). Last updated September 2026.
Reading: I read around 100 books every year. One book I'd recommend is The Eyes and the Impossible, by Dave Eggers. It's a short novel (purportedly a children's book?) from the perspective of a dog who lives in a park in San Francisco and hatches a plot to free the park's bison.
Writing: I’m a congenital fiction writer. I've written a number of novels, a few of which I've self-published. One you can read today is Overyear, a coming-of-age fantasy story about a late bloomer. If short stories are more your speed, an interesting one to start with is The River God. This fall I plan to publish [The Pennsylvania Death Race](https://amzn.to/4hvmDdx), a slow-burn thriller set during the inaugural Pennsylvania Death Race, a 100-mile ultramarathon in the Allegheny Mountains—it's Wild meets The White Lotus. In addition to fiction, I've written many essays and articles.
Running: I started running when I was 20, and I’ve grown to love it. I generally run one or two 100-mile races a year now. I finally ran the famed Western States Endurance Run in 2025. My next big race on the calendar is Tahoe 200, which I'll run in June 2027. Read more about some of my runs on my running blog.
Swimming: I sprained my toe in 2024—from falling down the stairs, not running—and that led me to aquajogging as a way to keep running while I recovered, and that led me to actual swimming. I am still improving my technique (maybe it will never end), and I look forward to building the skills and endurance to do marathon swims. Work in progress! 🏊♂️
Teaching: At Drexel, I teach courses on various aspects of design and ethics in human–computer interaction and user experience. I also frequently work with the Teaching and Learning Center.
Research: I have a PhD in information studies, and I study people's experiences with information and technology. I'm particularly interested in how we might design systems to help us become better people, applying the philosophy of the virtues to design. I don't do much research these days, and what I do is focused mainly on learning.
Guitar: I’ve monkeyed around on the guitar since about eighth grade, but I didn’t practice with gusto until I started my PhD program. (Correlation?) I more recently discovered a love for classical guitar, and I'm studying at Classical Guitar Corner. I'm working on Grade 5 at present.
Location: I live with my husband and my cat in West Philadelphia, where I appreciate the trees and tilted sidewalks. I moved here from Wisconsin in 2014. After living in rentals for some years, we bought our first house in 2023.