Jack
Brief summary of research:
I worked under Prof. Ozge Samanci and helped bring to life two new media art installations, “VastWaste” and “Mind The Debris”, which are about the interplay between increasing marine pollution and space debris and the potential implication of this issue as it grows in magnitude. The installations were created in the Unity game engine, and “Mind The Debris” additionally uses EEG (brain activity sensor) data from users that affects how the installation plays out. My job involved implementing Virtual Reality and Projection systems for these projects as well as tuning visuals to enhance the experience.
What made you interested in pursuing interdisciplinary research more broadly?
While I enjoy Computer Science a lot, more “traditional” CS research did not sound as appealing to me and as such I tried to look for more interdisciplinary options that combined more of my interests. I found URAP from there and thought it would be a great fit for my interests, and the rest is history!
What made you initially interested in researching your project in particular?
For several months before discovering this project I knew that I wanted to make some kind of piece of interactive media, be it art or a video game or something else. So this project happened at the perfect time for me, and really gave me a chance to do something I was already passionate about in a research context.
Describe your experiences with research thus far in your career?
Since the nature of most of my work was technical, there were certainly plenty of hurdles. I had to go from only having mild exposure to the software tools we were using to being able to start making things within a couple weeks, which luckily came pretty smoothly. Research offers a lot of freedom and independence, which sometimes can be overwhelming but you quickly learn how to pick up skills quickly and problem-solve on your own.
Any tips or advice you have for students interested in pursuing undergraduate research?
Anyone interested in doing undergrad research should go for it! Northwestern is unique in that it has so many different ways to get involved in research as an undergrad. While all of those ways may be overwhelming at times, it also provides reassurance that there are ample amounts of research activities going on, at least some of which may interest you. You won’t know until you actually take the dive.
If you had unlimited time, money, resources, support, etc. what is something you would research?
I would research exactly how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
What is your favorite breakfast food?
Nothing beats a good breakfast omelet or sandwich!