CIAS Media Integration Center coming soon

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New media center aims to showcase, document CIAS' innovative achievements
RIT CIAS - JAN 24, 2018
https://cias.rit.edu/news/585
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Students, faculty and staff in the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences (CIAS) at RIT will soon be able to take advantage of new resources dedicated to experiential learning, curriculum and research enhancement, and documenting the myriad happenings that keep the college bustling with activity.  

The CIAS Media Integration Center (MIC), dreamed up by an interdisciplinary group within the college, is on pace to launch during the spring semester with several pilot projects. The center is a re-imagining of the School of Media Sciences’ (SMS) Cross-Media Innovation Center. “Through authentic stories, photos, videos, and interactive content, the CIAS Media Integration Center will deliver a comprehensive view of our creative community by showcasing its innovative achievements,” said Chris Jackson, CIAS associate dean and acting director for MIC.

Located in Studios 25 and 27 in room 4292 of Gannett Hall, MIC is provisioned for digital media publications and communications for CIAS students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The space will house audio and video studios outfitted with equipment for producing high-resolution media that can be disseminated.

The initial stage will engage students, faculty, and staff from SMS, School of Photographic Arts and Sciences (SPAS), School of Film and Animation, CIAS Facilities and Tech, and CIAS Marketing. Once fully operating, MIC will involve faculty from the entire college. Potential projects throughout this spring’s first phase are:

•      How-to training videos for hardware/software, including Cage-at-a-Click, a planned series of video tutorials for SPAS cage equipment use

•      Documenting class projects, presentations, and student/guest panel discussions

•      CIAS Scholars video interviews to promote research and scholarship

•      CIAS virtual reality and augmented reality interactive tour using MIC’s 360-degree camera

•      Archiving student capstone/thesis projects

•      Recording current student, alumni, and guest speaker testimonials for marketing and recruitment efforts

•      Videoing gallery exhibitions and other events

MIC aligns with RIT’s strategic plan to offer opportunities for study at the intersections of technology and the arts, imagination and application, and rigor and curiosity — with all designed to meet the demands of future careers in a complex global economy. The center’s goal is to explore print materials, digital media, and pedagogy in the broadest sense to connect faculty research and student learning through the creative application of technology.

With MIC following a student-employee model, CIAS students have a platform to apply their education. They will manage the center, operate the equipment, execute requested projects, and assist faculty and staff with media needs.

CIAS faculty can leverage their vast experiences and talents by utilizing the center’s resources to explore ways to improve their curriculum and capture, share, and archive research and scholarly activities. MIC will also promote cross-collaborative projects focused on a Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) approach by highlighting CIAS faculty working with faculty from other colleges across RIT. Collaboration with industry and workshops covering creative applications and media techniques for CIAS faculty and staff are also on the center’s list of possible future endeavors.