The Social Media Analytics Research Team (SMART) has reached yet another milestone. We have played a leading role in the creation of a consortium of universities that have analytics labs and centers focused on big data and social media research in the wider Communication discipline.  The newly established Social Analytics Consortium (SAC) is a partnership that will foster and advance interdisciplinary communication research, strengthen academic collaboration, and enhance pedagogical skills in the field of social analytics.

 

Through the SAC partnership, the SMART Lab in line with its vision, has enhanced its capacity to foster and promote cutting-edge analytics research by partnering with other universities. Collaboration under the newly formulated SAC is set to multiply efforts to deal with emerging challenges in the realm of social analytics, share data resources and innovative pedagogical expertise, and foster research collaboration. In particular, the Consortium aims to explore issues related to social media research, pedagogy, facility management, professional development, and lobbying efforts.

 

The SAC is a pioneering effort by researchers from Ohio University, Illinois State University, University of Tennessee, Clemson University, and the University of Akron.

 

More information about the respective labs from each of these universities can be found on the SAC’s website. Queries about the SMART Lab’s role in the newly established SAC can be addressed to Dr. Laeeq Khan, Director of the SMART Lab, or Bowen Gao, Graduate Associate.

By Bowen Gao