Communication Theory Research Lab
What Is the Communication Theory Research Lab?
The Communication Theory Research Lab (CTRL) is a lab for Mercer University communication studies students to pursue research within the discipline beyond their traditional academic classes. Each semester, a cohort of undergraduate students tackles unique research questions in the collaborative space. Dr. Cameron Kunzelman, assistant professor of communication studies, facilitates the lab and advises students in their research.
What Do Students in the Lab Do?
Taking part in the lab encourages students to pursue their own interests within the discipline and take on real-world research projects. Past research projects have included research on the harmful effects of gender-biased social media trends, an interrogation into life path generation in role-playing games, development of an original arcade cabinet, and more.
Students also have the opportunity to take this research and engage with the broader academic community by presenting at conferences. CTRL gives students the chance to stand on their own research and interact with other academic communities beyond just their Mercer community.
How Do Students Benefit from Participating in CTRL?
The lab gives students a chance to practice the full life cycle of a research project, from proposal all the way through conference application and publishing papers. Over the course of a year, students meet weekly with Dr. Kunzelman to report on progress and troubleshoot problems as they arise. It gives undergraduates the opportunity to engage with scholarly research on an individual level and develop personal accountability for their research. Whether students are preparing for graduate school or the workforce, the lab teaches important skills that can be translated to any context.
Being in the CTRL has given me the opportunity to pursue my interests within the communication studies discipline outside of class. It has given me the opportunity to perform research from the beginning stages of an idea all the way through presentation and publication. In this way, the lab has been an excellent resource in preparing me for graduate school and my future career.
Being able to turn my interests into tangible research has been a really fun and beneficial experience for me. It has been especially rewarding to gain interdisciplinary experience in the humanities as someone who is more oriented to math and science.
The Communication Theory Research Lab helped prepare me for graduate school by giving me the opportunity to collaborate with other undergraduate students in the field of communication, which was a unique experience that distinguished me as an applicant. Through my work in the lab, I also developed tangible research skills that I will continue to apply throughout my academic and professional career.
Working with Dr. Kunzelman enabled me to explore my passion for game development and concurrently gain an understanding of the cultural significance of games. The CTRL lab provided me with a unique environment for welding my technological background with media communication studies through hands-on project development. My experiences in the lab helped define the shape of my academic career at Mercer.
The lab has connected me with like-minded students and provided me with the opportunity to pursue undergraduate student research in the humanities. Working with my lab fellows and our advisor has helped me build up a portfolio that I can use to pursue a graduate degree.
Support the CTRL
You can support the lab’s work by giving to Mercer and designating your gift for the Communication Theory Research Lab.