University of North Georgia is hosting various Scholars Symposiums this semester at the Film and Media building on Gainesville Campus in room 147 from 5- 5:30 p.m. The School of Communication, Film, and Theatre is in charge of this public event.
Scholars Symposium is an event where faculty, graduated students, and current students can present research on a topic they are passionate about and receive feedback from others.
Dr. Candice Wilson is the head of organization and creation of the symposium for the Film and Digital Media program. The symposium originally started in Spring 2020, and Wilson was the first speaker to present her research, but she had to pause the event due to COVID-19.
There are three other professors involved in the organization of the symposium: Communication and Media Professor Dr. Shane Toepfer, Production Professor Allison Hogue, and Film Professor Dr. Yelizaveta Moss.
This semester will be the second run of the symposium. Spring 2022 semester was the first successful run of the event by Wilson and the Film and Digital Media program.
“Scholars Symposium is a great opportunity that will bring everyone together in a room to learn about each other, the world, and diversity”- Dr. Candice Wilson.
Wilson said that she started the symposium because she noticed there was a lack of programming in the film and media department, and she wanted to introduce an opportunity where faculty and students could interact with each other based on their interests in the media world.
Wilson stresses the importance of the symposium saying it’s a place where students have access to teachings that are outside of their classrooms and to have a community. She wants there to be different engagements of film and media that is outside of Hollywood so the students can change the ways they think about media.
Dr. Ryan Thames, a Communication, Media Studies, and Game professor, was the first speaker to kick off the semester. Thames’ presentation was held on Sept. 20 and focused on video game avatars and their connections to players through the emotions they convey and their persuasiveness.
He has been researching game avatars and their connections for a while, and this opportunity helped him receive feedback and suggestions from students and other faculty members.
“Having the Scholars Symposium on your schedule gives you a drive to get your research out there…” Thames said.
UNG alumni, Trevor Young, will be the second speaker for the symposium. Young’s presentation will be held on Oct. 4. and will be about moé, materialism, and lines in the Tamako Market. The third speaker will be Dr. Hae Lim Suh, and her presentation will be about the Korean American perceptions of beauty and identity due to the light of the Korean Wave in cinema. Dr. Suh’s presentation will be held on Oct. 18. Professor Raphael Palermo Dos Santos will be the last speaker for the symposium. Professor Dos Santos’ presentation will be held on Nov. 15. and will be about the commercial movies that have come from Brazil since the 2000s.
