UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #577

Submission information
Submission Number: 577
Submission ID: 9156
Submission UUID: 216c99d5-463b-4b82-b339-50386389ecde

Created: Fri, 08/25/2023 - 11:44 AM
Completed: Fri, 08/25/2023 - 03:11 PM
Changed: Wed, 09/13/2023 - 02:43 PM

Remote IP address: 128.186.238.108
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Primary Research Mentor Name Stephen McDowell
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns He/Him
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific? Prof.
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) smcdowell@fsu.edu
Position Title Faculty
FSU College (if applicable) Communication and Information
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation Communication
Headshot (optional) SteveMcDowell-150x150.jpg
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above)
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable)
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Title of the Project Artificial Intelligence Applications: Understanding Media and Communication Policy Questions
Project Keywords Artificial Intelligence, intellectual property, speech, privacy, digital media
Are you currently looking for research assistants? No
Number of Research Assistants Needed 6
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Open to all.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): Partially Remote
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? Five hours per week.
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Overall Research Project Description There is much uncertainty about how artificial intelligence software will be used in media and communication applications. Already we see images, videos, sounds, and text being generated. These digital media AI applications raise questions for speech, privacy, intellectual property, and network security, to name a few. The project will seek to prepare compilations of published text materials, audio, and video resources that raise questions about social, economic, policy and other issues we should consider when looking at AI uses. Students will prepare their own compendium of sources/bibliography and their own paper exploring a specific theme around artificial intelligence applications and media and communication policy issues. We will meet weekly to share updates. These papers will be the basis for presentations in Spring 2024, and also become part of the resources for my course MMC4200 Media Law and Digital Innovation.
Research Tasks Students will undertake literature review and online research in library databases and other platforms to prepare a compendium of sources on AI and their area of focus.

Students will prepare their own thematic analysis of key questions or clusters of issues that should be considered as we make use of artificial intelligence applications.

We will meet once per week, mostly virtually, to share ideas, and for students to provide updates on their work, and discuss emerging themes.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Using library databases (can seek training from library)

Organizing and preparing a research list or annotated bibliography around a theme (we will discuss).

Identifying key questions in the thematic area, writing up discussion.

Presenting your analysis at the Undergraduate Research conference in Spring 2024 (we will prepare and practice)
Mentoring Philosophy My courses all include a research paper with the topic chosen by students. I think that building a research paper based on students' interests and research efforts is a great way to develop skills, and also to create an informed analysis of something that is important for society and that students care about. My course assignments include a proposal, a first draft, and a final draft, and I provide comments and suggestions at each step assist in developing the work. We also include reports on work in progress in classes, as well as peer reviews of each others papers. Working on your own, but also as part of a reference group that reports to each other on a regular basis, provides a useful way for students to check in on their work and ask if your ideas make sense, and also to further develop research, analysis, and presentation skills. This UROP group is designed to include these elements.
Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable): https://directory.cci.fsu.edu/stephen-mcdowell/
Please add any additional information here (if applicable):
Roundtable times and Zoom links Wednesday, Sept 6, 3:00-5:00 pm https://fsu.zoom.us/my/stevemcdowell

Thursday, Sept 7, 1:00-2:30 pm https://fsu.zoom.us/my/stevemcdowell
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Year 2023
update url https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=5n0CkoACu8PDIsmtt-1CsWpwGuiinfR-eSwMsGS0I6E