Dr. Robin Blom
<b>Department:</b> School of Journalism and Strategic Communication<br><b>Research Area:</b> Nobel Peace Prize / Disney storytelling / Wrongful convictions<br>
Department: Journalism and Strategic Communication
Research Focus:
There are three research areas that I focus on this academic year—and they are very different from each other: (1) Nobel Peace Prize, (2) Disney storytelling, and (3) Wrongful convictions.
Nobel Peace Prize: It is considered the most prestigious prize in the world. And many of the laureates have captivating life stories, yet there is still much unknown about the effectiveness of The Prize on world peace and how the recipients play a role in ending violence. I’m especially interested in the character of Nobel Peace Prize laureates as role models to future generations of peace ambassadors around the world.
Disney: It is considered the most influential media company in the world. I have always been captivated by immersive storytelling. And that is what Disney does best. Yet, there are a lot of criticisms—and sometimes rightfully so—about the depictions of cultures in its movies and theme parks. Last summer I taught the course “Disney Culture and Culture of Disney” with a 6-day trip to Walt Disney World. Do you want to research any particular topics about Disney, including the Star Wars and Marvel franchises? Let me know what you are envisioning. And we’ll make that dream come through—in typical Disney fashion.
Wrongful Convictions: It is considered one of the most horrifying experiences in life—spending years or decades in prison for a crime someone did not commit. It has happened to thousands of people in the United States and there are likely many thousands more serving time behind bars—right now—while innocent. My main interest in wrongful conviction is in relation to eyewitness misinformation, as well as false confessions. For this particular project, I hope you are especially passionate about exploring ways to decrease and eliminate wrongful convictions. Relatedly, I’m also interested in true crime, in particular, wrongful conviction podcasts and stories about wrongful convictions in newspapers. I’m currently working on two projects related to these two media types.
Potential Student Project:
This is a list with potential research questions to explore, but I would like to hear your ideas too.
What role can Nobel Peace Prize laureates play in solving world problems?
Can immersive storytelling techniques from Disney make classrooms more interesting?
How can questions with misinformation alter memories of eyewitnesses?
What are newsroom policies for including eyewitness testimonies in news stories?
Are cultures fairly represented in the Disney parks around the world?
What are the pros and cons of being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?
Attributes/skills/background sought in undergraduate:
Curiosity (cu·ri·os·i·ty /kyoorēäsdē, noun): A strong desire to know or learn something. Curiosity leads to discoveries. I look forward working with a student who wants to better understand the world around us. All majors are welcome and you don’t need an advanced research or technology background.
Mentoring Plan:
You will become an affiliated researcher of the Unified Research Lab (URL), which is a research space with eyetracking, virtual reality, and psychophysiology tools, in which faculty and students study the role of media and technology in society. I am the director of the URL. You will get your own work space in the lab, where you will have access to all available technology for your research project. You will receive training to use the equipment. We will discuss the progress of your project at the beginning of each week and work on the project throughout the week. Students will work 5 hours per week on the project including one hour of a weekly meeting with me.
Contact: 765-285-8737, AJ 285