Office of Research in the UK College of Communications and Information Studies

Media Center for the Future

The Media Center for the Future is a collection of facilities designed to enhance research and the creation and production of information in a variety of media. Use of the Media Center and its equipment is currently limited to College of Communication and Information faculty and its student organizations. These facilities include:

Video Editing Facilities
(11-15 Grehan)

The video editing facilities contain five video editing bays each containing a Mac Pro Quad-core Intel 2 Duo running OSX and loaded with Final Cut Pro HD, iMovie, DVD Studio Pro, and the Adobe CS suite. Each bay also has a 20-inch Apple Cinema display and a DV player/recorder connected by Firewire. Primarily for instructional use; available for research in exceptional circumstances. For scheduling, contact Nathan Stevens at 257-1809 or nss [at] uky.edu.

JAT News Room
(10 Grehan)

This room is equipped with (15) 20” Apple iMacs. Each computer includes the Microsoft Office suite and all Apple native applications. The JAT News Room is used for video editing, data analysis, and training sessions. Although often used during the regular semester, the JAT News Room is generally available all summer long. Primarily for instructional use; available for research in exceptional circumstances. For scheduling, contact Nathan Stevens at 257-1809 or nss [at] uky.edu.

DCA Lab
(20 Grehan)

The Digital Content Analysis (DCA) Lab consists of an array of 26 computers, each installed with dual-TV Tuner input cards, S-Video Graphics output cards, and Gigabit Network cards. Five coding workstations in 300 Funkhouser equipped with Windows Media Center, simulate normal television viewing and enable coders to record their observations into a centralized database. Output from the DCA Lab is also viewable in the Theater. Features of this system include the following:

  • As of January, 2010, permanent archive of video storage for each of 26 channels being monitored
  • 62TB of RAID storage allowing 300,000 hours of long-term video storage capacity
  • Automatic DVD storage and archiving
  • Television transcript database for efficient identification of subject-relevant footage.
  • Ability to search and view television via a web interface.

For more information about the DCA Lab, contact Scott Johnson at 257-4725 or scott.johnson [at] uky.edu.

 DCA Lab

Audio Recording Studio
(21 Grehan)

The Audio Recording Studio is equipped with top-of-the-line professional audio equipment to record projects as simple as voiceovers or as complex as creating a CD for an entire band. It contains a Mac Pro G5 running OSX with MOTU Digital Performer, T-Rack, and Toast. The student radio station, WRFL, uses the room for voiceovers, and researchers use the room for creating narrations. Scheduling of the room is through John Clark at 257-2810 or jclark [at] uky.edu.

 

Focus Group Room
(22 Grehan)

The focus group room has conference-style seating for up to 12 participants. Ceiling-mounted pan/tilt/zoom video cameras and microphones allow for digital audio/video recording of meetings. The focus room contains an outside entrance to prevent interruption of Theater activities. This room is used for conducting focus groups during the preliminary phases of research studies. Contact Nancy Harrington at 257-3622 or nancy.harrington [at] uky.edu.

 

Theater
(23 Grehan)

The Theater has seating for 20 people and is used to show audio/visual stimuli such as PSA's in a relatively natural setting. Each chair is wired to collect heart rate to measure attention, electromyographic response (EMG) to measure cognitive processing and emotional reactions, and skin conductance response (SCR) to measure arousal. Programmable perception analyzers that collect and graph audience's moment-to-moment responses and Turning Point "clickers" are also available for polling and audience research. Other technology available in the theater include a "Smart" classroom presentation podium containing a Dell computer, a DVD player and CATV. For scheduling, contact Nancy Harrington at 257-3622 or nancy.harrington [at] uky.edu.

 

Other Facilities

Mac Mobile Lab
(23 Grehan)

The Mac Mobile Lab consists of 32 12" Apple laptop computers and a server capable of quickly converting a classroom into a wireless computing lab. These 32 computers and server are housed on one cart with wheels for easy mobility and transport. For scheduling, contact Scott Johnson at 257-4725 or scott.johnson [at] uky.edu.

 

PDA Survey Research System

Our 75-unit Portable PDA Survey Research System provides an efficient and compact method for conducting survey research in the field. PDA surveys not only allow for use of complex skip patterns and interactivity with audio/video, they afford greater subject privacy, provide multilingual support, and reduce literacy concerns by using audio narration.

Teleform Software by Cardiff
(412 Breckinridge)

http://www.cardiff.com

Teleform is a powerful image recognition software used to create, scan, and process paper surveys to data. It is installed on a dedicated PC in Breckinridge Hall that can be accessed directly or remotely by interested users. Contact Carla Gray at 257-8133 or carla.gray [at] uky.edu.

Online Survey Creation Tools

Two strong tools for the creation of web surveys are available to faculty and students:

  • SPSS mrinterview: to easily create and host online surveys and then instantly analyze the gathered data. Contact Aric Schadler at 257-2204 or schadler [at] email.uky.edu in the SSTARS Center.
  • Filemaker Pro: works in conjunction with DreamWeaver for the creation of more complex online surveys. These surveys are hosted on a dedicated Filemaker web server.

Contact Scott Johnson at 257-4725 or scott.johnson [at] uky.edu.

Coding Room
(300 Funkhouser)

The coding room houses five modern workstations each equipped with an LCD/TV viewing computer and a data entry computer used for viewing and coding television programming recorded by the DCA Lab. Contact Scott Johnson at 257-4725 or scott.johnson [at] uky.edu.

 

School of Library and Information Science Facilities

LCLI Instructional Computer Lab
(355 LCLI)

A computer lab with 28 Dell Windows XP computers and smart classroom components, the instructional computer lab was designed to accommodate LIS Information Technology and online searching classes through hands-on instruction. SLIS manages access to LCLI355, and it is not a regular university classroom. As LIS classes are commonly held here, access for CIS personnel can be arranged, but should be planned well in advance by contacting Lousetta Carlson at 257-8876 or carlson [at] uky.edu.

Smart Classrooms
(357 & 359 LCLI)

These smart classrooms were originally set up by SLIS with funding from CPE, but are now regular university classrooms managed by the Teaching and Academic Support Center (TASC). LIS classes get priority access, followed by other CIS classes, and then any other university class. Each room has an Internet connected PC, a port for a laptop, a combination VCR/DVD player, a document camera, and a ceiling mounted projector with a motorized screen. Contact Andy Spears at 257-8272 ext. 231 or aspears [at] uky.edu for more information about these classrooms.


CI Technical Support Staff

Scott Johnson (COM)

Email: scott.johnson [at] uky.edu
Office: 218 Grehan Journalism Building
Phone: 257-4725

Joe Miller (SLIS)

Email: jbmiller [at] uky.edu
Office: 518d M I King
Phone: 257-8854

Nathan Stevens (JAT)

Email: nss [at] uky.edu
Office: 104 Engineering Annex
Phone: 257-1809