Tuesday, March 18, 2014

[441] Social media expert, Scholars Day finale highlight March 17-21 MTSU Scholars Week

  
MURFREESBORO — A full week of activities is in store for participants of the eighth annual Scholars Week at MTSU.

Scholars Week, which will be held Monday through Friday (March 17-21), showcases scholarly efforts in the various colleges within the university and undergraduate and graduate students’ and faculty members’ research.

For a complete schedule, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/research/scholarsWeek/index.php. All events are open to the public.

“It’s an exciting time of year,” said Dr. Mike Allen, vice provost for research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies. “It allows all of undergraduate and graduate students to display their research activities. Everyone can browse through the (Friday) poster session and look at all the things MTSU students are interested in.”

Highlights will include:

• A campus classroom visit and keynote address by social media expert and researcher danah boyd Wednesday, March 19; and

• Friday’s (March 21) universitywide Scholars Day, which will showcase students’ research from 12:40 to 3 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.

Just recently having published “It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens,” boyd is a principal researcher at Microsoft Research, a research assistant professor in media, culture and communication at New York University and a fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Center.

She will discuss “Social Media and Society” during her keynote address starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Student Union Ballroom. At 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, boyd will participate with students in a question-and-answer session in Room 103 of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building.

“Danah is a wonderful storyteller,” said Billy Pittard, chair of the electronic media communication department, adding her presentation at MTSU really is for everyone: students, teachers, parents, community leaders and anyone who wants to be in the know. “And if you recognize social media as an important factor in your life or career, this is truly a must-attend event. The world has changed and danah boyd has some serious updates for your map of how things work.”

Pittard added that boyd “has done a very good job of explaining how social media has changed and is changing the way we communicate and interact.”

The MTSU Colleges of Business and Education held Scholars Day events Monday; the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences Scholars Day event will start at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building Lobby; and the College of Mass Communication Showcase and Spring Career Forum will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday in the mass communication atrium, with panel presentations set for 11 a.m. and 1 and 2:30 p.m. in MC101.

About 180 posters will be presented during Friday’s finale event. Posters awarded first place by judges will be on exhibit March 24-30 in Walker Library.


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