Research

August 4, 2020, Filed Under: Research

Fall Research Opportunities Available Through Dr. Lucy Atkinson

Dr. Lucy Atkinson is seeking students to assist her with four different research opportunities. Please contact Dr. Atkinson at lucyatkinson@austin.utexas.edu for more information.

Content analysis of primetime TV shows

Focus: Analysis of green advertising and environmental depictions in shows like Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, etc.
Unpaid
Unlimited number of positions
Can be done remotely
Skills required – no specific skills, will be trained

Content analysis of media for stories about oil and gas

Focus: Analysis of media coverage of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). CCS removes CO2 from the atmosphere and shows promise in mitigating the effects of climate change.
Paid
Two positions
Can be done remotely
Skills required – no specific skills, will be trained

Study #1 looking at virtual reality messages

Focus: Examining efficacy of science information about the deep sea and geothermal vents delivered via VR
Paid
Two positions
In-person, so depends on COVID
Skills required – relatively comfortable with new technology and managing study participants coming to a lab

Study #2 looking at virtual reality and augmented reality messages

Focus: Examining comparative efficacy of delivering environmental PSAs via video, AR and VR
Paid
Two positions
Some in-person meetings with me, which can be off-campus
Skills required – MUST know how to create AR and VR content

July 28, 2020, Filed Under: Research, Uncategorized

Remote Research Position Available with the “Blast from the Casts” Project

Available Student Position: Online Map Developer

The “Blast from the Casts” project, funded in part by a small grant from Humanities Texas and managed by two graduate students from the Department of Art History, seeks an undergraduate student with some experience in the creation of interactive online maps for display in a project website. Minimum qualifications include a basic knowledge of online mapping and familiarity with at least one online mapping tool (RStudio, ArcGIS, Carto, Open Layers, Leaflet, etc.). An ideal candidate will also have a working knowledge of Javascript and HTML. Some exposure to Classical Antiquity is helpful but not required. We would expect this student to work approximately ten hours per week over the full semester, for a total of ca. 160 hours. We can only offer a small stipend ($200-$250) for this work, but in exchange for the student’s time, we will help the student acquire expertise in photogrammetry, GIS, and the reception of classical sculpture in the 19th and early 20th century, as well as some behind-the-scenes knowledge about how museum collections are managed. Application review will begin August 1, 2020, and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants are asked to submit a current resume and a brief description of their prior experience with online maps and/or Javascript, HMTL, and other web-development tools to Dr. Adam Rabinowitz, Associate Professor, at arabinow@utexas.edu.

Additional Information

All requirements are expressed in the position description above. If the student wishes to take part in the construction of photogrammetrical models, the necessary software will be provided through a virtual session via the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC). All other software is either freely available or available to UT students using a UT VPN.

July 27, 2020, Filed Under: Research

Fall Research Opportunity with the Technology & Information Policy Institute at UT Austin

About the Technology & Information Policy Institute

Established in 1996, the Technology & Information Policy Institute serves to research imbalances and provide insights that inform public policies and programs focused on digital inclusion for everyone. Housed in the Moody College of Communication, the institute also investigates social impacts of digital media and entertainment such as immersive media, virtual reality, social media and digital games. In addition to sponsoring educational programs and conferences, the institute shares its world-class expertise in hopes of increasing access to communication technologies, and thus vastly improve technology literacy, standards of living and innovation. Please visit https://texastipi.org/ for more information.

Fall 2020 Undergraduate Research Opportunity

Dr. Sharon Strover directs the Technology & Information Policy Institute. They have a small study starting in September examining municipal camera policies in cities, focusing especially on U.S. but not exclusively; there may be some interesting examples from other countries As surveillance capabilities of camera technologies grow, and as AI and machine learning capabilities also expand, image systems producing visual data are new terrains for data collection, use and retention policies. The research involves a literature review and a survey – possibly administered over the phone – to collect information and state-of-the-art information about municipal policies around using cameras.

Responsibilities & Required Skills:

Good interviewing skills; interviews will be conducted in English
Ability to undertake journal-based research using academic journals and databases
Ability to collect or write short annotations of research literature (we will probably use Zotero)
Ability to work with a small team of researchers
Ability to conceptualize and produce his or her *own project* based on this work! We would like the intern from a BDP to envision a way to creatively build on the research.

Small student stipend of $400 is available, but it would not be an hourly salary. Hours are flexible, but we expect the student to work the 160 minimum hours required of BDP.

The ability to do in-person work or meetings depends on the University’s COVID-19 related policies. A lot of this work could be done remotely.

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to Dr. Strover at sharon.strover@austin.utexas.edu. In the cover letter, please include a short (one paragraph) statement of why you are interested in the position.