The Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies is committed to promoting the growth of knowledge about mass communication and enhancing the enlightened use of mass communication to achieve individual, group and societal goals.

Spotlight on Stephen Bates

by Irene Lopez

One of Assistant Professor Stephen Bates's specialties is privacy in law and culture. He has taught a graduate seminar and written several articles on the topic, including one that was heavily quoted in a recent Reuters blog, Two cheers for tabloid trash. Professor Bates regularly teaches The First Amendment and Society (JOUR 401/JMS 601), and in spring 2012 he will teach a graduate seminar, First Amendment Theory (JMS 733).

For more information, contact him at Stephen.Bates@unlv.edu.

Interview with the Artist - Julian Kilker

by Erica Arnold

Professor Julian Kilker's collection of desert photography debuted at the UNLV Marjorie Barrick Museum in an opening reception on Dec. 2, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The exhibit, entitled "Lost Places in the Mojave," is comprised of 20 photographs of abandoned buildings and decaying structures throughout the Mojave Desert. Although none of the photographs feature people, mankind leaves a mark on nearly every still.

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Lost Places in the Mojave by Julian Kilker

by Irene Lopez

Associate Professor Julian Kilker is exhibiting a photography show called Lost Places in the Mojave at UNLV Marjorie Barrick Museum from December 2 and extended to February 3, 2012. The Marjorie Barrick Museum is located on campus across from the Lied Library. Admission is free, so don't miss out on this great photo show.

Dr. Kilker researches how people use information technologies for social and media purposes. He is particularly interested in how people understand one context from different perspectives. Lost Places in the Mojave exhibit depicts the Mojave Desert as seen from an unusual visual perspective, that of low-light photography. The exhibit emphasizes interactions between people and the desert over long periods by highlighting natural decay and human-influenced damage on objects and buildings. The photos are shot at night to avoid the harsh daytime light of the desert and to emphasize specific artifacts and textures. The lighting was not modified using Photoshop; instead, light sources include moonlight, flashlights with color gels, and a variety of experimental lights built and modified by Dr. Kilker.

If you are interested in learning more about the exhibit contact Dr. Kilker at kilker@unlv.nevada.edu.

Nevada Broadcasters Association Scholarship Winners

by Irene Lopez

Sedinam Kakrada

Did you know that every semester prestigious scholarships could be applied for? Last semester the Nevada Broadcasters Association donated significant scholarship funds to students in Journalism and Media Studies. Thanks to their donation, three outstanding students won scholarships through their academic achievements, persistence, and dedication. Winners were graduate student Sedinam Kakrada, undergrad seniors Rachel Johnson, and Adrienne Lefebvre.

Sedinam (also known as Seddi) was shocked when she found out she had won. She mentioned how this scholarship reassured her academic path. Since she was a little girl, Seddi has always dreamed of being a news anchor. If you get to know her you can she is charismatic, funny, sharp and has a TV personality. She's on the path of fulfilling her dream.

Rachel Johnson

Rachel expressed excitement and gratitude upon receiving the news, as one of the highlights of her college career. For all the scholarships she applied for she won "the one that really counts." Rachel dreams being a tech director for a political comedic show. She also hopes to travel the world as a broadcaster.

Adrienne also shares her excitement about this honor. She hopes to work in radio production and host a TV or radio news show. All three ladies will have full tuition paid thanks to the Tony and Linda Bonnici Scholarship Fund. They will also receive a paid in-station internship with the candidates' top preferences. They were extremely thrilled to get the hands on experience.

Rachel's advice to scholarship applicants is to persevere and persist by applying for as many scholarships that are available. Seddi says to be patient, focus, and improve your resume. She also suggests networking with professors, co-workers, classmates and anyone that you come across, because you never know who you can use as a reference! Good luck ladies in pursuing your dreams; we know that you're heading into the right path!

For more information on upcoming scholarships and internships see our website. Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to receive additional information.

East Paradise Site Broadens Scope on Urban Las Vegas Community

by Alisha Wexler

The East Paradise website, a community-based journalism site, focuses on both a Las Vegas neighborhood that rarely gets coverage from the mainstream media, and now, campus issues also.

"East Paradise is a unique website where both journalism students and citizens can publish stories about an area near UNLV," said Michelle Aikin, web coordinator. "The website is already receiving a lot more traffic, but I'm hoping to see more people visit it."

Aikin has retooled stories in ways that are enticing to their readers by using up-to-date multimedia techniques, featuring web links, videos and audio clips to enhance the information provided.

The East Paradise site, a non-profit website sponsored by the Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies, is housed in Greenspun Hall, a $100 million building. The Greenspun family donated $50 million toward building the home of the College of Urban Affairs, and the other half was paid for by state money.

JMS faculty encourage students to investigate and report news, maximizing the site as an opportunity to publish stories about issues that are important to them.

For additional information, please contact Michelle Aikin at eastparadisewebsite@gmail.com. You can also visit east-paradise.com.

Second Life changing the way we learn

by Irene Lopez

In a time when virtual and digital media are evolving, students are learning new concepts. One example is Second Life, a free Internet-based virtual reality social network. Professor Larry Mullen is heading a long-term research project in this area. Second Life is what the user makes of it. It can be a game, a source of social media, a learning environment or anything one imagines. On Second Life a person customizes an avatar and navigates the character through virtual worlds. Second Life has replicas of entire real-life cities, historic landscapes, buildings and imaginary cities. So how can Second Life be used in education?

Larry Mullen and Zeenath Haniff

    Zeenath Haniff, the Virtual and Digital Media Graduate Assistant, explains that virtual education allows students and teachers to build their own teaching environments with a click of a mouse. For example, a virtual classroom can be designed where students learn in the comfort of their homes. Zeenath explains that Second Life has a number of uses in multiple fields from law enforcements to theater.

Second Life will influence the virtual and digital world for years to come because it crosses international boundaries, languages and it can be used for personal, academic or business purposes. Professor Mullen states that, "The world of Second Life is created by its users, so any changes you see in there will primarily be initiated by users. Linden Labs takes care of the maintenance and server support, but it is the users who will be the impetus behind any new changes we see in the future. I think we can look for changes to tend toward a greater sense of realism -- more realistic avatars, more realistic clothing and other features that make the immersive experience more real. I also think you'll find advertisers and marketers trying new things in the virtual setting to attract attention and customers, track fashion trends, and more. Up until now most of their efforts have failed, but I think they will eventually figure it out. In terms of educational usage, I think Second Life will be used less, mainly because Linden Labs doesn't offer educational institutions discount rates like they used to, but there will always be innovative teachers who can find ways to use this platform for learning, training, and recruiting. Second Life is also up against new, emerging virtual worlds that are being designed specifically for educational purposes. So, there will be more competition for academic users in the future." It is ultimately in the users' hand. How will you use Second Life?

If you are interested in learning more about Second Life, attend a workshop taught by Zeenath Haniff. The final workshop is Monday, November 14, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. in GUA 1125. It will focus on research methods, topics and tools in Second Life.

Zeenath also publishes the UNLVirtual (University Newsletter for Virtual and Digital Media) every 3 weeks on Fridays, which is emailed to all UNLV students and faculty. Abstract submissions on virtual and digital media topics are welcome. Submission guidelines: 100-150 words in a Word document. Include name, department and title. Email attachment to haniffz@unlv.nevada.edu.