SU Interdisciplinary Research Group to present poster session on theme ‘Journeys of Interdisciplinary Observation’

Monday, April 5, 2010, By Erica Blust

In conjunction with its yearlong theme “Journeys of Interdisciplinary Observation,” the Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) based in Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) will present a poster session on Monday, April 19, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons in E.S. Bird Library. The IRG faculty fellows will be present to discuss their projects and posters at the event, which is free and open to the public.

 Poster topics clustered around the “Journeys” theme include:

  • the architecture of John Lautner;
  • discourse analysis of school counseling supervisory e-mail messages;
  • the creation of Web-based social games for children;
  • family communication data collection and the notion of the observer’s paradox;
  • interdisciplinary observations involving students of theater and film;
  • development of the FND 118 “Toy Design” course and interdisciplinary project prototypes; and
  • methodologies across disciplines in the study of world languages.

 The IRG fellows’ projects were inspired by initial and ongoing observations—broadly understood—arising outside of each individual’s research discipline and requiring cultivation outside the comfort zone of laboratory, studio or library. Together, the group investigated the observational and disciplinary origins of the ideas that serve as catalysts and drive research, and sought to identify and understand commonalities and differences in undertaking and processing observations in various fields and disciplines.

The 2009-10 faculty fellows are:

  • Natasha A. Cooper, SU Library;
  • Timothy Davis-Reed, VPA, Department of Drama;
  • Deborah Dohne, VPA, School of Art and Design (co-leader);
  • Jose A. da Mota Lopes, The College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Languages, Literature and Linguistics;
  • Cynthia Gordon, VPA, Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies (co-leader);
  • Melissa Luke, School of Education; Department of Counseling and Human Services;
  • Jun Wang, iSchool; and
  • Jon Yoder, School of Architecture.

Funded by VPA, the IRG is a faculty-driven, cross-college incubator for scholarly development. The goal of the IRG is to establish a peer environment that fosters a longstanding, accumulative and non-competitive intellectual/creative/social faculty network.

For more information, contact Dohne at ddohne@syr.edu or Gordon at cygordon@syr.edu.