Student research

In LEADR, students create projects to share research through visual and interactive means. Each class that meets in LEADR has a lead Graduate Assistant (GA) that students can contact for extra help. We hold open hours during Fall and Spring semesters for individual student consultations.

Curriculum development

Much of LEADR’s impact comes from engagement with students in the classroom. Each fall and spring, faculty in History and Anthropology fill out a consultation request form to indicate interest in working with LEADR staff to incorporate a digital project into the course in the upcoming semester.
When LEADR staff collaborate with faculty to incorporate digital research into the curriculum, Graduate Assistants gain experience in digital pedagogy and instructional design. For each class, a GA creates lesson plans and teaches workshops. With multiple iterations of projects over time, we’ve used the lessons to improve tutorials and incorporate favorite lessons each semester.

Tools and methods

Research methods in LEADR range widely— from learning to code and use version control, creating public-facing exhibits of historical evidence, exploring landscapes through satellite data, and creating multimedia storymaps that center place-based historical evidence.

Equipment

Our main lab has Mac and PC computers, DSLR cameras, camcorders, tripods, light kits, microphones, and more. The 3-D imaging workstations include twp custom built PCs with photogrammetry software and two 3D printers. The LEADR Meeting Room can be reserved by students for online interviews or small group collaboration. This studio also includes our book scanner. The A/V studio can be set up for audio or video recording.

We love to brainstorm—what kinds of research interest you?