Social Media Analysis & Creation (SMAC) Lab

Increasing civic engagement by empowering citizens in the effective and responsible use of social media

 

Research Infrastructure

We have created a unique social media panel to study digital participation via social media. Our panel allows us to survey a nationally representative sample of social media users and the content they produce. When combined with our syndicated research services, this panel enables us to know who produces what in social media, a research tool that is unparalleled in the world.  

Syndicated Research Services

The SMAC Lab houses a listening center powered by Crimson Hexagon that allows us to instantly track, analyze and research participation, conversation and sentiment in social media. In addition, we offer a revolving suite of other social media monitoring and analytics software as they become available.

Teaching

Since we are training the next generation of mass communicators, we designed the SMAC Lab as not only a listening and analysis center, but also as a collaborative and instructional facility where we teach students how to move beyond listening to responding and proactively creating compelling social media content. We are currently designing interdisciplinary social media certificates at both the undergraduate and graduation levels.

Service

We designed the SMAC space to be easily converted into a social media command center. Furthermore, we constructed the space to be used for social media workshops offered to LSU faculty and professionals. Lastly, the SMAC Lab serves as the social media center of the Manship School, providing social media graphics and visualizations of what is happening both within Manship and around the world in social media. We provide these visualizations both through social media and through screens placed around campus.

 

Queries about the SMAC Lab may be directed to Dr Porter at [email protected].