Digital Media and Entertainment

From Isekai to IT: How an Esports Startup Builds the Workforce

admin — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 12:52:40 +0000

From Isekai to IT: How an Esports Startup Builds the Workforce admin Wed, 07/30/2025 - 08:52

More than 1,000 cosplayers, gamers, and nerds took over Macon, Georgia’s, annual Cherry Blossom Festival in late March. They were there for the fourth year of the CBF Isekai convention, which celebrates all things anime, cosplay, and esports, but Isekai offers more than a weekend of fun. Participants could enter gaming competitions that might help them land a future cybersecurity or IT job.

CBF Isekai is sponsored by SON Technologies — short for Swagged Out Nerds — a Macon esports company focused on workforce development. SON believes the best gamers can also become promising IT professionals.

A startup founded by two Air Force veterans, SON is already making a name for itself in the esports world and has support from Georgia Tech. It is one of the Accelerate companies in the startup portfolio of Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), one of the oldest and most successful university-affiliated incubators in the United States.

Swagged Out Start

SON founders Jason Clarke and John Robinson first met when they both worked in cybersecurity in the Air Force. As they transitioned to civilian IT careers, they realized a perhaps unlikely source sparked their IT expertise — video games. In 2019, the two partnered to create an esports competition team for veterans, but they knew the company’s mission could be bigger.

“When people think of gamers, you think of a 40-year-old person in their mom’s basement,” Clarke said. “But we wanted to change the perception. Gamers have employable skills that can be used for substantial IT work.”

For example, when a person plays a multiplayer game like Fortnite, they can assume a leadership role, delivering directives to their teams. What may look like mere play actually entails planning, organizing, and executing. Even a simple task like troubleshooting a household wi-fi network is a skill that can be expanded on with the right training.

From Player to Professional

SON wants both kid and adult gamers to know they have options. They regularly host gaming tournaments and conventions to find people who would be right for their programs and cultivate community. Through a partnership with digital education company Aperion Global Institute and cybersecurity certification organization EC-Council, Clarke and Robinson administer a high school-level curriculum highlighting the synergies between IT and gaming.

Adults also have opportunities. Past SON tournament competitors can take an eight-week program, Sticks to Clicks, to turn their gaming skills into IT proficiency. These initiatives come at a crucial time: Between now and 2030, according to O*NET OnLine, 51,000 cybersecurity jobs in the state of Georgia are expected to be vacant.

Game-Changing Career Paths

The programs’ benefits are already tangible. One adult participant in Sticks to Clicks had an annual income of less than $10,000 before joining the program. In the first seven weeks, he earned a certification in CompTIA Security+. In the eighth and final week, he interviewed with some of SON’s workforce partners. He was ultimately hired to install network infrastructure for $46,000 a year.

High school students have had similar success. In the 2025-26 school year alone, 150 students went through the SON program and received stackable credentials that can prepare them for IT careers even if they don’t go to college.

All of this momentum got ATDC’s attention, and SON Tech was accepted as a portfolio company in Fall 2024. Both Georgia AIM and the Air Force went to Macon for the 2025 Isekai convention and met potential employees firsthand. They saw that SON was just getting started.

The ATDC Connection

SON joined ATDC in 2024 under the AI and Manufacturing vertical sponsored by Georgia AIM, a statewide coalition to advance manufacturing using AI. SON is one of ATDC’s first middle Georgia companies, but the entire state will experience benefits. Through ATDC, SON can use Georgia Tech resources, meet experts in grant applications and corporate networking, and plug into the startup ecosystem in Atlanta. The three-to-five-year program helps startups scale up.

“The truth is when you’re starting a company, the first few years are the worst of your life,” said Nwanyinma Dike, who serves as the Georgia AIM and ATDC liaison. In this role, she advises SON. “Connecting into a community of folks rooting for you, listening to you, helping you breathe through whatever challenges occur is one of the most valuable resources ATDC has to offer.”

The size of the March Isekai event was only possible thanks to ATDC’s support. They helped SON fundraise by finding the right sponsors.

“We went from starting this convention in a pizza shop to now packing an entire plaza downtown,” Clarke said. “To see the growth is amazing. We've received a lot of industry backing because of the creative ways we're helping workforce development.”

Dike wants to ensure the event wasn’t a one-off and that SON can keep up the momentum. SON is already planning an even bigger 2026 Isekai convention, with exciting new partners in the pipeline who want to share in the energy of this creative workforce development solution and movement.

SON also announced a partnership with gaming company Blaze Fire Games and the Houston County School District. The school district can access Blaze Fire Games’ Recruit, Reclaim, and Retain career pathway program, which is designed to help close the technology industry’s vast talent gap.

“The partnership is exciting because it represents more than creating and launching an esports club,” said Isiah Reese, CEO and co-founder of Blaze Fire Games. “This agreement allows our company to continue creating opportunities and develop relevant, sustainable career-readiness skills required to compete in today’s environment.”

Sherri Johnson, the CEO and principal of Houston County College and Career Academy, agrees. "The partnership is a real game-changer for our students. These unique, forward-thinking, 21st-century digital economy workforce educational courses will empower our instructors to reimagine and enhance classroom learning within our cybersecurity and gaming career pathway programs.”

SON is ready to rise to whatever industry or challenge needs their model next. What they have been able to do for the IT and cybersecurity fields could eventually be applied to the Federal Aviation Administration or even healthcare technician jobs. There’s an entirely new way to develop the tech world field, and it may not start in a classroom but with a controller.

Summary sentence

SON Technologies is part of Georgia Tech’s startup incubator, ATDC.

Summary

Dateline

Mon, 07/21/2025 - 12:00

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Tess Malone, Senior Research Writer/Editor

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683191

Source updated

Wed, 07/30/2025 - 08:51

Deep Dive Into Shark Ecology Provides Path to Conservation

admin — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 18:22:41 +0000

Deep Dive Into Shark Ecology Provides Path to Conservation admin Thu, 07/24/2025 - 14:22

Few animals captivate people’s imagination like sharks. From the enduring cultural legacy of Jaws, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, to the continued popularity of the Discovery Channel's Shark Week, now in its 37th year, media portrayals of the apex predator can shape public perception, illuminate their role within Earth's ecosystems, and influence conservation efforts.

For Cameron Perry, every week is shark week. The Georgia Tech alumnus earned his Ph.D. in ocean science and engineering in 2024 and now leads the whale shark and manta ray initiatives at Georgia Aquarium.

As a 6-year-old listening to his mother read him Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and imagining the creatures Captain Nemo encountered, Perry had dreams of exploring the oceans for himself. When he saw his first whale shark in Georgia Aquarium's 6.3-million-gallon tank, he set out to learn as much as he could about the gentle giants and help to conserve the endangered species.

Perry's research has taken him around the world to observe whale shark behaviors in St. Helena and the Galapagos Islands, working to understand their migration habits, reproduction, and global ecology. While most people won't encounter sharks daily as he does, Perry sees the aquarium as well as the media as effective tools in showcasing sharks in the proper light.

"They are kind of mysterious and unknown. For many people, they've never encountered sharks in their lifetime, and part of that captivation could lead to fear, but education can turn that fear into wonder and awe. There's a narrative that these animals are mindless eating machines, but the more you learn, you realize that's not the case," he said. “These creatures have existed for 400 million years; they're older than trees, and understanding their role on our planet is important to changing the narrative around sharks."

Perry likens sharks to the white blood cells of the ecosystems in which they live, as they help prevent the spread of disease through the consumption of dead or diseased prey, contribute to population control, and provide balance to the ocean's biodiversity.

Understanding Our Role

While at Georgia Tech, Perry worked alongside Regents’ Chair and Harry and Anna Teasley Chair in Environmental Biology Mark Hay, whose research has highlighted the role that sharks, and other large predators, play in habitat regulation within coral reefs. Hay explains that overfishing and other human activities have decimated shark populations in certain parts of the world, significantly affecting coral reefs and the populations that rely on them.

As the manager of a freshwater beach in Kentucky in 1975, Hay saw firsthand the impact that Jaws had on the beachgoing public at the time — including his lifeguards.

“I had about 25 lifeguards, and I made them swim a mile every day on our buoy line. After we all went to see Jaws, about half of them refused to swim the mile for over a week. They'd look at me and say, 'You can fire me. I'm not going in,' and I'd laugh and say, ‘We're in freshwater. Jaws isn't in there.’"

Hay said that while the movie remains a favorite of his, its depiction of sharks isn't representative of their behavior in the wild, as shark attacks are often accidents, not predatory actions. Like Perry, Hay believes that education can help protect sharks and bring a renewed focus to solving the ongoing issues facing the oceans.

"These ecosystems are degrading, and it's us that's doing it. What I am trying to do in my teaching is to go beyond cataloging the demise and take a more Georgia Tech-type approach by saying, 'If the bridge is broken, we have to be the ones to rebuild it,'" he said.

Hay keeps a saber-toothed tiger fossil on his desk as a constant reminder to himself that "everything I study was shaped by what used to be here," and how understanding nature can help preserve it for the future. Sharks are a captivating species, and both Perry and Hay stress that continued research and a commitment to education are the key to their conservation.

Subtitle

Experts say that more accurate depictions of sharks can help protect them and highlight their role in global ecosystems.

Summary sentence

Experts say that more accurate depictions of sharks can help protect them and highlight their role in global ecosystems.

Summary

Experts say that more accurate depictions of sharks can help protect them and highlight their role in global ecosystems.

Dateline

Thu, 07/24/2025 - 12:00

Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu

Contact

Steven Gagliano – Institute Communications

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Sharks

Whale Sharks

conservation

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683257

Source updated

Thu, 07/24/2025 - 14:21

Teaching AI to Collaborate, not Merely Create, Through Dance

dgivens8 — Fri, 30 May 2025 18:14:41 +0000

Teaching AI to Collaborate, not Merely Create, Through Dance dgivens8 Fri, 05/30/2025 - 14:14

Two children are playing with a set of toys, each playing alone. That kind of play involves a somewhat limited set of interactions between the child and the toy. But what happens when the two children play together using the same toys?

“The actions are similar, but the choices and outcomes are very different because of the dynamic changes they’re making with the other person,” says Brian Magerko, Regents’ Professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Literature, Media, and Communication. “It’s a thing that humans do all the time, and computers don’t do with us at all.”

Welcome to the next frontier of artificial intelligence (AI) — not just generating but collaborating in real-time.

Magerko and his colleagues, Georgia Tech research scientist Milka Trajkova and Kennesaw State University Associate Professor of Dance Andrea Knowlton, are putting a collaborative AI system they’ve developed to the ultimate test: the world’s first collaborative AI dance performance.

Dance Partner

LuminAI is an interactive system that allows participants to engage in collaborative movement improvisation with an AI virtual dance partner projected on a nearby screen or wall. LuminAI analyzes participant movements and improvises responses informed by memories of past interactions with people. In other words, LuminAI learns how to dance by dancing with us.

The National Science Foundation-supported project began about 12 years ago in a lab and became an art installation and public demo. LuminAI has since moved into a different phase as a creative collaborator and education tool in a dance studio.

“We’re looking at the role LuminAI can play in dance education. As far as we’re aware, this is the first implemented version of an AI dancer in a dance studio,” says Trajkova, who was a professional ballet dancer before becoming a research scientist on the project.

To prepare LuminAI to collaborate with dancers, the research team started by studying pairs of improvisational dancers.

“We’re trying to understand how non-verbal, collaborative creativity occurs,” Knowlton says. “We start by trying to understand influencing factors that are perceived as contributing to improvisational success between two artists. Through that understanding, we applied those criteria to an AI system so it can have a similar experience with co-creative success.”

“We’re working on a creative arc,” adds Trajkova. “So instead of the AI agent just generating movements in response to the last thing that happened, we’re working to track and understand the dynamics of creative ideas across time as a continuous flow, rather than isolated instances of reaction.”

Students from Knowlton’s improvisational dance class at Kennesaw State spent two months of their spring semester working routinely with the LuminAI dancer and recording their impressions and experiences. One of the purposes the team discovered is that LuminAI serves as a third view for dancers and allows them to try ideas out with the system before trying it out with a partner.

The classroom experiment will culminate in a public performance on May 3 at Kennesaw State’s Marietta Dance Theater featuring the students performing with the LuminAI dancer. As far as the research team is aware the event is the world’s first collaborative AI dance performance.

While not all the dancers embraced having an AI collaborator, some of those who were skeptical at first left the experience more open to the possibility of collaborating with AI, Knowlton says. Regardless of their feelings toward working with AI, Knowlton says she believes the dancers gained valuable skills in working with specialized technology, especially as dance performances evolve to include more interactive media.

Refined Movement

So, what’s next for LuminAI? The project represents at least two possible paths for its learnings. The first includes continued exploration about how AI systems can be taught to cooperate and collaborate more like humans.

“With the advent of generative AI these past few years, it’s been really clear how great a need there is for this sort of social cognition,” says Magerko. “One of the things we’re going to be getting off the ground is sense-making with large language models. How do you collaborate with an AI system – rather than just making text or images, they’ll be able to make with us.”

The second involves the body movements LuminAI has been cataloging and analyzing over the years. Dance exemplifies highly refined motor skills, often exhibiting a level of detail surpassing that found in various athletic disciplines or physical therapy. While the tools designed to capture these intricate movements—through cameras and AI—are still nascent, the potential for harnessing this granular data is significant, Trajkova says.

That exploration begins on May 30 with a two-day summit being held at Georgia Tech to discuss its application for transforming performance athletics, with interdisciplinary participants in dance, computer vision, biomechanics, psychology, and human-computer interaction from Georgia Tech, Emory, KSU, Harvard, Royal Ballet in London, and Australian Ballet.

“It’s about understanding AI's role in augmenting training, promoting wellness as well as diving deep in decoding the artistry of human movements. How can we extract insights about the quality of athlete’s movements so we can help develop and enhance their own unique nuances?” Trajkova says.

Summary sentence

Georgia Tech and KSU faculty are putting a collaborative AI system they’ve developed to the ultimate test: the world’s first collaborative AI dance performance.

Summary

Georgia Tech and KSU faculty are putting a collaborative AI system they’ve developed to the ultimate test: the world’s first collaborative AI dance performance.

Dateline

Thu, 05/02/2024 - 12:00

Contact

Megan McRainey
megan.mcrainey@gatech.edu

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Keywords

artificial intelligence (AI)

go-ai

go-neuro

Categories

Art Research

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Georgia Tech Arts

Mercury ID

674495

Source updated

Fri, 05/10/2024 - 14:03

Thesis on Human-Centered AI Earns Honors from International Computing Organization

dgivens8 — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:30:41 +0000

Thesis on Human-Centered AI Earns Honors from International Computing Organization dgivens8 Tue, 04/22/2025 - 10:30

A Georgia Tech alum’s dissertation introduced ways to make artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible, interpretable, and accountable. Although it’s been a year since his doctoral defense, Zijie (Jay) Wang’s (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) work continues to resonate with researchers.

Wang is a recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI). The award recognizes Wang for his lifelong work on democratizing human-centered AI.

“Throughout my Ph.D. and industry internships, I observed a gap in existing research: there is a strong need for practical tools for applying human-centered approaches when designing AI systems,” said Wang, now a safety researcher at OpenAI.

“My work not only helps people understand AI and guide its behavior but also provides user-friendly tools that fit into existing workflows.”

Wang’s dissertation presented techniques in visual explanation and interactive guidance to align AI models with user knowledge and values. The work culminated from years of research, fellowship support, and internships.

Wang’s most influential projects formed the core of his dissertation. These included:

CNN Explainer: an open-source tool developed for deep-learning beginners. Since its release in July 2020, more than 436,000 global visitors have used the tool.
DiffusionDB: a first-of-its-kind large-scale dataset that lays a foundation to help people better understand generative AI. This work could lead to new research in detecting deepfakes and designing human-AI interaction tools to help people more easily use these models.
GAM Changer: an interface that empowers users in healthcare, finance, or other domains to edit ML models to include knowledge and values specific to their domain, which improves reliability.
GAM Coach: an interactive ML tool that could help people who have been rejected for a loan by automatically letting an applicant know what is needed for them to receive loan approval.
Farsight: a tool that alerts developers when they write prompts in large language models that could be harmful and misused.

“I feel extremely honored and lucky to receive this award, and I am deeply grateful to many who have supported me along the way, including Polo, mentors, collaborators, and friends,” said Wang, who was advised by School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) Professor Polo Chau.

“This recognition also inspired me to continue striving to design and develop easy-to-use tools that help everyone to easily interact with AI systems.”

Like Wang, Chau advised Georgia Tech alumnus Fred Hohman (Ph.D. CSE 2020). Hohman won the ACM SIGCHI Outstanding Dissertation Award in 2022.

Chau’s group synthesizes machine learning (ML) and visualization techniques into scalable, interactive, and trustworthy tools. These tools increase understanding and interaction with large-scale data and ML models.

Chau is the associate director of corporate relations for the Machine Learning Center at Georgia Tech. Wang called the School of CSE his home unit while a student in the ML program under Chau.

Wang is one of five recipients of this year’s award to be presented at the 2025 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2025). The conference occurs April 25-May 1 in Yokohama, Japan.

SIGCHI is the world’s largest association of human-computer interaction professionals and practitioners. The group sponsors or co-sponsors 26 conferences, including CHI.

Wang’s outstanding dissertation award is the latest recognition of a career decorated with achievement.

Months after graduating from Georgia Tech, Forbes named Wang to its 30 Under 30 in Science for 2025 for his dissertation. Wang was one of 15 Yellow Jackets included in nine different 30 Under 30 lists and the only Georgia Tech-affiliated individual on the 30 Under 30 in Science list.

While a Georgia Tech student, Wang earned recognition from big names in business and technology. He received the Apple Scholars in AI/ML Ph.D. Fellowship in 2023 and was in the 2022 cohort of the J.P. Morgan AI Ph.D. Fellowships Program.

Along with the CHI award, Wang’s dissertation earned him awards this year at banquets across campus. The Georgia Tech chapter of Sigma Xi presented Wang with the Best Ph.D. Thesis Award. He also received the College of Computing’s Outstanding Dissertation Award.

“Georgia Tech attracts many great minds, and I’m glad that some, like Jay, chose to join our group,” Chau said. “It has been a joy to work alongside them and witness the many wonderful things they have accomplished, and with many more to come in their careers.”

Summary sentence

Zijie (Jay) Wang (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) is a recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI).

Summary

Dateline

Thu, 04/17/2025 - 12:00

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Bryant Wine, Communications Officer
bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu

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Source updated

Tue, 04/22/2025 - 10:29

Tech Connections Attract New Social Media Tenant

admin — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 15:36:41 +0000

Tech Connections Attract New Social Media Tenant admin Tue, 08/20/2024 - 11:36

Fanbase, a next-generation social media app, has become the latest up-and-coming business to move into Encore, Georgia Tech’s business growth-and-scaling hub in West Midtown. Located within The Interlock mixed-use complex on Howell Mill Road, Encore is positioned to connect companies to the resources and talent of Georgia Tech and other schools and businesses in the rapidly growing technology epicenter Atlanta has become.

A New Boost for Tech Startups

Fanbase, founded by songwriter, music producer, and entrepreneur Isacc Hayes III, is dedicated to nurturing an ecosystem of innovation through partnerships with emerging startups. At Encore, startups can collaborate closely with Fanbase and Georgia Tech, leveraging their expertise and networks. This collaboration aims to accelerate tech startup growth by providing resources and opportunities to experiment, develop, and launch new products and services alongside Fanbase. A key development of the Fanbase/Encore collaboration is an innovative podcast studio available for use by tech startups and select partners.

Encore provides cutting-edge meeting facilities including extensive areas for creative projects, state-of-the-art equipment for onboarding new Fanbase users, and conference spaces for launching new initiatives. Positioned near the Georgia Tech campus and the historically Black colleges and universities that comprise the Atlanta University Center, Encore facilitates collaboration with academic researchers and access to student talent, essential for ongoing innovation.

Details About the Fanbase App

Fanbase currently offers six functionalities:

Flickz (short-form video)

Fanbase Audio (social audio chat)

Fanbase+ (long-form video)

Fanbase Stories

Live streaming on Fanbase Live

Main feed photo and video upload

Encore is managed by Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures, a Georgia Tech affiliate.

Learn more here: encoregt.org.

Summary sentence

Georgia Tech's growth-and-scaling hub, Encore, has attracted a new tenant called Fanbase which is an up-and-coming social media app

Summary

Dateline

Tue, 08/20/2024 - 12:00

Blair.Meeks@gatech.edu

Keywords

social media

News room topics

Business and Economic Development

Categories

Digital Media and Entertainment

Mercury ID

676108

Source updated

Tue, 08/20/2024 - 11:35

Olympics Continue Athletic Compensation Conversation, Georgia Tech Expert Says

admin — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 00:34:41 +0000

Olympics Continue Athletic Compensation Conversation, Georgia Tech Expert Says admin Wed, 07/24/2024 - 20:34

Olympians compete for national pride, glory, and, for the first time, prize money.

Announced by World Athletics in April, a $2.4 million pot will be split among the 48 gold medal winners at the upcoming games — $50,000 for each athlete or team — marking the first time an international sport federation will award prize money at the Olympic Games. The move is a continued departure from the amateurism model implemented by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, in 1896.

Mary McDonald, professor and Homer C. Rice Chair in Sports and Society, explains that governments provided various levels of financial support to athletes throughout the 20th century, although undisclosed compensation from sponsors gave rise to “shamateurism” as the International Olympic Committee upheld its traditional policy. She says allowing professional athletes to compete in the Games in 1992 and the commercialization of the global event led to this compensation model.

“The U.S. ‘Dream Team’ competed in Barcelona to widespread media attention, allaying longstanding mythologies that somehow including professionals would taint the Olympic spirit of sport,” McDonald said. “But fans around the globe were interested in seeing the top athletes in each sport, and allowing professional athletes to compete met this demand. Organizers of the multibillion-dollar Olympic and Paralympic Games recognized that athletes are the driving force behind this global spectacle.”

In the absence of payments from international federations, medalists have been paid prize money to varying degrees by national Olympic committees or national governments. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee pays $37,500 for gold medals, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze, while Singapore pays individual gold medalists up to $1 million. The World Athletics’ $50,000 payout for gold medals pales in comparison to the millions of dollars in endorsement deals earned by Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, and other notable Olympians, but it opens a dialogue surrounding pay inequities for the additional 10,000 competitors.

“One issue this debate helps to highlight is that inequalities exist between sports federations and national Olympic committees. Many athletes in less visible Olympic sports, even if provided with stipends, still financially struggle to train and compete,” McDonald said, noting that some athletes have resorted to crowdfunding to support their Olympic pursuits.

“Still, new compensation opportunities through federation support serve important purposes. This strategy helps to more fully recognize the value of athletic labor, offering a new way of redistributing more of the revenues generated by the athletes back to the athletes,” she said.

The new system is not a finished product. World Athletics plans to extend the prize money, at a tiered level, to silver and bronze medalists at the 2028 Summer Olympics.

McDonald sees symmetry between this and the recent softening of traditional amateurism models, such as college athletics following the adoption of NCAA name, image, and likeness policies following court rulings and state legislative actions. She adds that, as efforts continue to create fair compensation models in professional leagues like the WNBA, the Olympics have provided a “visible and global stage to inspire and empower athletes in their quest to better share in the revenues they have helped to produce.”

Subtitle

For the first time, gold medalists at the Olympics will be paid by an international federation. A Georgia Tech expert discusses the significance of the change.

Summary sentence

For the first time, gold medalists at the Olympics will be paid by an international federation. A Georgia Tech expert discusses the significance of the change.

Summary

For the first time, gold medalists at the Olympics will be paid by an international federation. A Georgia Tech expert discusses the significance of the change.

Dateline

Wed, 07/24/2024 - 12:00

steven.gagliano@gatech.edu

Contact

Steven Gagliano - Institute Communications

Associated importer

Keywords

Mary McDonald

Olympians

News room topics

Society and Culture

Categories

Community

Digital Media and Entertainment

Mercury ID

675585

Source updated

Wed, 07/24/2024 - 20:34

Beyond Genre: Exploring Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter and Tina Turner's Influence

admin — Thu, 02 May 2024 13:20:41 +0000

Beyond Genre: Exploring Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter and Tina Turner's Influence admin Thu, 05/02/2024 - 09:20

Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter album has captivated global audiences with its bold fusion of country and pop influences, solidifying her status as a musical icon. This departure from her previous work has sparked intrigue into the album's diverse inspirations. Among those dissecting the cultural significance of Beyoncé's latest venture is Joycelyn Wilson, assistant professor of hip-hop studies and digital media at Georgia Tech.

At the core of Cowboy Carter is an exploration of genre boundaries, seamlessly blending elements of country music into Beyoncé's signature sound. From the twang of the steel guitar to the storytelling of classic country ballads, Beyoncé's foray into country-pop represents a reimagining of American musical traditions.

“She's very much Southern in her Texas roots, and she's playing with that heritage in a way that is opening up the way in which we even think about who can do country — but also reclaiming African American culture and community's role in creating and helping country music become what it is,” Wilson says.

The influence of Tina Turner also looms large over the Cowboy Carter landscape, underscoring the impact of the rock and roll pioneer and the ways in which she was able to push the boundaries of musical hybridity, Wilson added. Celebrated for her electrifying performances and genre-bending approach, Turner's legacy continues to inspire artists across generations. Beyoncé's incorporation of elements like powerful stage presence and innovative genre fusion reflects Turner's influence, demonstrating how her pioneering spirit resonates in contemporary music.

Through Wilson's exploration, there emerges a deeper understanding of the layers embedded within Beyoncé's latest work. From themes of empowerment to narratives of resilience, Wilson illuminates how Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter album has resonated with audiences worldwide.

Summary sentence

In her analysis, Joycelyn Wilson explores Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' album, influenced by icons like Tina Turner, representing a bold departure into country-pop fusion, while delving into its cultural resonance and musical evolution.

Summary

Joycelyn Wilson, assistant professor of Hip-Hop Studies and Digital Media at Georgia Tech, provides thought-provoking insights into the parallels between Beyoncé's “Cowboy Carter” album and Tina Turner's enduring influence. Through an exploration of country aesthetics and Turner's legendary career, Wilson sheds light on the intersections of genre, identity, and artistic innovation. This deep dive reveals the rich cultural resonance and musical evolution shaped by these iconic artists.

Dateline

Thu, 05/02/2024 - 12:00

sar30@gatech.edu

Contact

Siobhan Rodriguez

Institute Communications

Associated importer

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beyonce

Cowboy Carter

Tina Turner

Texas Hold Em

Texas

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pop music

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Country Music Awards

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Mercury ID

674482

Source updated

Thu, 05/02/2024 - 09:19

Georgia Tech's Sonification Lab Revolutionizes Eclipse Experience for Visually Impaired

admin — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:53:41 +0000

Georgia Tech's Sonification Lab Revolutionizes Eclipse Experience for Visually Impaired admin Fri, 04/05/2024 - 12:53

As the April 8 solar eclipse approaches, millions of people anticipate participating in the wonder of this celestial event. Yet, for those with visual impairments, traditional methods of observing such phenomena may present limitations. Fortunately, resources from the team of Tech’s School of Psychology professor, Bruce Walker, offer an inclusive approach, ensuring that everyone can engage with and appreciate the eclipse experience. Through detailed auditory descriptions and immersive virtual environments, the Sonification Lab facilitates accessibility to the wonders of the universe for all, regardless of visual ability.

“This is the absolute first technology of its kind to give blind and visually impaired users the complete information and spatial knowledge of a map, especially for an eclipse,” said Brandon Biggs, Ph.D. student in the Human Centered Computing (HCC) program in the School of Interactive Computing.

At the forefront of the Sonification Lab’s research efforts are the resources provided by the lab’s website. This comprehensive platform serves as a hub for eclipse enthusiasts, offering detailed maps, predictions, and scientific insights into the upcoming solar eclipse. These resources are integral to the Sonification Lab's work, enabling them to create fully accessible and accurate auditory representations of the eclipse experience, says Walker.

Crafting an Immersive Soundtrack

Through meticulous analysis and interpretation of the data, Walker's team crafts auditory representations of the eclipse that accurately depict its various phases and phenomena. Each element, from the gradual obscuration of the sun to the fleeting moments of totality, he adds, is translated into carefully composed melodies and rhythms. This soundtrack offers listeners a unique and immersive way to experience the celestial event.

“It’s almost like infotainment,” said Walker. “We want to give a complete experience of totality during the eclipse, with the immersive sound of what birds and other animal behaviors would be at that time.”

As the moon begins to move across the face of the sun, the soundtrack reflects this gradual obscuration through subtle shifts in melody and rhythm. The gradual dimming of light is mirrored by a gradual crescendo in the music, creating a sense of anticipation and tension.

During the brief moments of totality, when the moon completely blocks the sun, the soundtrack reaches a climax. This crescendo symbolizes the awe-inspiring beauty of totality, capturing the profound experience of witnessing the sun's corona against the backdrop of darkness.

"Pull" Style Audio Map: This map outlines the precise path the solar eclipse will take across North America. It provides information about the regions that will experience totality, using the same path data from NASA. The map’s features offer both low lighting and an interactive icon to follow the route of the eclipse, making it engaging and web-accessibility compliant. By incorporating data from this map, the Sonification Lab ensures that their auditory representations align with the geographical features of the eclipse path.

"Push" Style Map: This map provides detailed information about the timing of the eclipse in various locations. According to Walker, the map highlights the moments of partial and total eclipse, allowing listeners to follow the progression of the event in real time. By integrating data from this map, the Sonification Lab synchronizes their auditory compositions with the chronological sequence of the eclipse.

Enhancing Accessibility Through VR Technology

In addition to facilitating this auditory experience, the Sonification Lab also explores virtual reality (VR) capabilities to enhance accessibility for those unable to witness the eclipse firsthand. By immersing users in a virtual environment, complete with visual and auditory components, VR technology enables individuals to experience the eclipse in a highly immersive and interactive manner.

Walker explains that, in the VR environment, users can explore detailed visual representations of the eclipse, including accurate depictions of the sun, moon, and Earth. These visual components provide additional context and enrichment to the auditory experience, allowing users to better understand the celestial mechanics at play.

To delve deeper into the wonders of the cosmos and experience the eclipse in a whole new way, individuals are encouraged to visit the website here.

Summary sentence

Through detailed auditory descriptions and immersive virtual environments, the Sonification Lab facilitates accessibility to the wonders of the universe for all, regardless of visual ability.

Summary

Dateline

Fri, 04/05/2024 - 12:00

sar30@gatech.edu

Contact

Siobhan Rodriguez

Institute Communications

Keywords

solar eclipse

totality

accessibility

total solar eclipse

April 8 solar eclipse

Bruce Walker; Sonification Lab; Music; solar eclipse; great american eclipse

visually impaired

blind

cos-community

cos-research

cos-planetary

go-neuro

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Campus and Community

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Computer Science/Information Technology and Security

Congressional Testimony

Digital Media and Entertainment

Mercury ID

674025

Source updated

Fri, 04/05/2024 - 12:53

Ecohorror: Learning From Mutant Monsters and Killer Plants

admin — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 23:54:42 +0000

Ecohorror: Learning From Mutant Monsters and Killer Plants admin Thu, 10/26/2023 - 19:54

Since Godzilla crawled out of the ocean in 1954, a monstrous consequence of the atomic age, ecohorror has given modern audiences an imaginative way to grapple not only with our primal fear of nature — but also with our complicated feelings about humanity’s impact on the environment.

This subgenre of horror, in which people face the wrath of nature and its emissaries, has never been more popular — driven in large measure by climate change anxiety and showcase titles such as the hit video game and HBO series The Last of Us.

For many, ecohorror offers a safe outlet for our tangled and difficult feelings about climate change. The heroine of ecohorror comic Dark Fang, for example, sets out to solve the fossil fuel problem — or at least avenge beaches blighted by an oil spill — by attacking oil company CEOs, said Brianna Anderson, a Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication.

“Ecohorror is great at expressing the rage and fear that people have about environmental issues, at the inadequacy of contemporary environmental movements,” Anderson said. “In the 1980s, we thought everything would be okay if we recycled, right? But now we know that’s absurd, that it’s not even close.”

Read the full article on the Ivan Allen College website.

Subtitle

Summary sentence

Ecohorror has given modern audiences an imaginative way to grapple not only with our primal fear of nature — but also with our complicated feelings about humanity’s impact on the environment.

Summary

Dateline

Thu, 10/26/2023 - 12:00

stephanie.kadel@gatech.edu

Contact

Stephanie N. Kadel

Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

Keywords

ecohorror

gothic horror

horror

comics

horror films

graphics

hbo

movies

halloween

video games

monsters

paranormal

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Society and Culture

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Digital Media and Entertainment

Mercury ID

670706

Source updated

Thu, 10/26/2023 - 13:56

The Importance of Inclusive Gaming

admin — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 23:54:42 +0000

The Importance of Inclusive Gaming admin Thu, 10/26/2023 - 19:54

"By nature, humans are storytellers," says Lee Hibbard, a Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication. "And since people have been people, we have found ways to entertain ourselves."

Hibbard studies how people talk about their identities and share them with others. Much of this comes down to storytelling, he explains. Humans love to share stories because it's how we relate to each other and find common ground. In video games, role-playing, and tabletop games such as Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), storytelling comes to life in an interactive way that movies, TV shows, and books just don't match.

"Games are such a huge marker of identity formation, especially for young people, because they give you the chance to pick up and play with things and try stuff out for fun," Hibbard says. "It's a lower stakes opportunity to experiment with yourself and with other people, and it's a cool way to learn about yourself."

Interest in these kinds of games has exploded since the Covid-19 pandemic, with one study reporting that online searches for D&D have increased by 85% since 2020. Beyond playing the games themselves, fans spend millions of hours a year on Twitch and YouTube watching players adventure in these fantasy worlds. Rising interest and a growing gamer base spur discussion about the importance of inclusion in such spaces, Hibbard says.

In the following Q&A, Hibbard discusses why inclusive gaming is so important and how it can help people in marginalized communities claim space in the real world.

Read the full article on the Ivan Allen College website.

Subtitle

The Importance of Inclusive Gaming

Summary sentence

Interest in role-playing games has exploded since the Covid-19 pandemic. A growing gamer base spurs discussion about why inclusive gaming is important and how it can help people claim space in the real world.

Summary

Dateline

Thu, 10/26/2023 - 12:00

michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu

Contact

Michael Pearson

Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

Keywords

gaming

Inclusive gaming

video games

dungeons and dragons

storytelling

table top games

Diversity and Inclusion

LGBTQIA

News room topics

Society and Culture

Categories

Digital Media and Entertainment

Mercury ID

670707

Source updated

Thu, 10/26/2023 - 14:36

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