Universidade Nova de Lisboa | NOVA FCSH I iNOVA Media Lab
Digital Media Winter Institute | SMART Data Sprint 2022

Discussing Methods Making  
31 January  –  4 February 2022 | 9:00 – 18:00  (Lisbon time)
#SMARTdatasprint | Research Blog 

Depending on the pandemic situation:
Hybrid mode of participation 🤓👩🏻‍💻🧑🏽‍💻❣️(in person and virtual)

Discussing methods making 

Research protocols. On the right is a visual protocol for building and interpreting computer vision networks, highlighting the transformations of a collection of images through the methodological process (image source here). On the left is a visual protocol for Exploring Covid 19’s imaginary on Instagram (image source here).

The principles, parameters, and forms of scientific methods for social and media research are changing. The adopted techniques are less systematic and more multi-situated in the environments we study with the necessary method combinations and computational mediums used to approach the subject of analysis. Scholars have been creating methodological frameworks in the making, treating the web and social media environments not only as a source of information but as a dynamic space for digital fieldwork. Against this background, the sixth edition of SMART Data Sprint invites keynote speakers, participants and collaborators to discuss methods. We ask what it means to do empirical research with and about the digital records available on social media platforms and the web while taking into account their different publics and forms of appropriation. How do we design research with keywords, hashtags, URLs, usernames, unique identifiers or locators? How do we deal with ethical issues when list-making digital records for data collection? When and why should we account for the extra layers of (technical) meaning that computational mediums (e.g. APIs, machine vision, graph layout algorithms) add to the subject of analysis? What does it mean to study potentially sensitive contexts of online-mediated communication? These questions will guide the forthcoming edition of  SMART Data Sprint 2022, encouraging contributors to find possible solutions collaboratively. 

Organizers: Janna Joceli Omena, Rita Sepúlveda, Ana Marta Flores, Jason Chao and Elena Pilipets.

Keynote talks

We are glad to receive Deen Freelon (School of Journalism and Media, the University of North Carolina, USA) and Katrin Tiidenberg (Osaluskultuuri professor / Professor of Participatory Culture BFM, Tallinn University, Estonia) with keynote talks, a masterclass with Warren Pearce (iHuman, the University of Sheffield, UK) and an opening talk with Janna Joceli Omena (NOVA University Lisbon, iNOVA Media Lab & Public Data Lab).

Preparation
We strongly recommend watching web tutorials on data extraction, data mining tools, as well as visualization software before the data sprint. 

  • You can visit the SMART playlists:

→ Data collection playlist

→ Working with spreadsheet

→ Building and interpreting digital networks

→ Practical Labs I SMART Data Sprint 2021

In case you plan to join us in Lisbon, please bring your computer and everything you need to support your work. 

Applications, Tuition Fee and Logistics 
Application form here.

Applications Dates & Tuition Fees

 

 

Applications open at

Deadline for Applications

Tuition Fee **

15 November 2021

20 January 2022

EUR 300,- [all participants]

** After your application is accepted and the bank transfer made, please note that there will be no refund of the tuition fee. The same condition applies if due to COVID-19 situation SMART Data Sprint will be held entirely online.

NOVA University Lisbon’s students are free of charge if they are enrolled in the Digital Media PhD program or in the master courses New media and Web practices and the Erasmus Mundus “Transition, Innovation and Sustainability Environments”. Nonetheless they must apply as regular participants.

Scholarship
Application form here.
We understand that the academic journey can be tough in financial terms. The SMART Data Sprint offers five scholarships to cover part of the tuition fee expenses. Note that due to COVID-19 situation, face-to-face scholarships will be changed to online scholarships. The scholarships are exclusively awarded to doctoral or master students on the grounds of academic merit and digital methods literacy or skill expertise (e.g. methodologists, new media students, developers, or data designers).

Scholarship Application Dates & Tuition Fees

 

 

 

Applications open at

Applications close at

Final Selection

Tuition Fee 

15 November 2021

31 December 2021

10 January 2022

EUR 70,-

About SMART 

SMART is a group of researchers from iNOVA Media Lab who develop social media research techniques and research tools for media studies and software studies. We conduct exploratory and empirical research advanced by digital methods. By taking media methods and the web environment into account, we build tried-and-tested research techniques to digital social sciences and digital humanities, while engaging with (and learning from) the technicity-of-the-mediums.

Official social media channels:

About INOVA Media Lab

iNOVA Media Lab is an applied research laboratory at NOVA FCSH, and part of the NOVA Institute of Communication (IC NOVA) at Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. iNOVA Media Lab is devoted to an interdisciplinary convergence of digital media and emerging technologies. The lab serves as the main hub for the PhD Program in Digital Media, nurturing a culture of innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, and mutual support among graduate students, faculty, and industry partners. iNOVA Media Lab is organized around the following research lines: immersive and interactive narrative, digital methods and platform studies, science communication research, innovation journalism, human-computer interaction, information visualisation and new media literacies.