Cornell University

Cornell University Mann Library, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

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COMMColloquium

Academic Research for Technologies with Impact, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Research

Julia Sebastien, COMM PhD Student, Cornell University

3:30pm in 102 Mann

 

In this talk, Julia Sebastien will discuss the contributory role of academic research and inquiry in impactful technological design, drawing upon recent works that demonstrate her human-centered approach toward research-informed (and research-generating) media and technologies. Interpreting “technologies” broadly to include innovations both within and beyond the digital realm, Julia will discuss her experiences and insights from researching, designing, developing and/or testing several projects, outlining the steps taken towards impactful design and the scientific method as sometimes parallel, but always mutually-illuminating, processes. With a particular focus on projects that explore media effects in the context of our wellbeing and our capacity to learn and grow, this talk will highlight how a thorough grasp of social and communication research can cultivate not only more successful technological designs, but also our humanity.

 

Julia Sebastien is acutely interested in the bidirectional relationship between perception and reality; she is particularly drawn to studying how and when technologically-mediated experiences and interactions might influence or distort our thoughts and behaviors, and how human-centered media and/or technologies may be thoughtfully designed to positively impact our relationships with others and ourselves. Julia is currently pursuing these questions further as a first year Ph.D. student at Cornell University, conducting design-focused research under the supervision of Dr. Andrea Stevenson Won in the Virtual Embodiment Lab and Dr. Natalie Bazarova in the Social Media Lab. Last May, she completed her Master's in Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology at Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) with cross-registration at MIT, where she honed her skills in designing and evaluating evidence-based educational experiences across various immersive modalities ranging from museums to digital and/or alternate reality games. One project of note, aimed at harnessing GenAI to facilitate self- reflection, was recently selected as a winner in the MIT Ignite: Generative AI Entrepreneurship Competition. Before her time at Harvard, Julia obtained a Specialized Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from York University, completing two theses in Dr. Steele’s interpersonal perception and social cognition while working as its lab manager. During this time she also presented her original research on couples’ virtual communication habits and satisfaction during the pandemic at several conferences, and hosted workshops on how to conduct research virtually. Between 2015-2019, Julia obtained her first undergraduate degree at Western University, graduating with the Double Major Gold Medal Award for her achievements across both her majors: Media, Information, and Technoculture; and the School for Advanced Studies in the Arts and Humanities.

 

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