index.html

---
layout: default
title: Home
---
<section id="introduction">
    <h1>Experiment in Community</h1>
    <p>We are the UVA Library's community lab for the practice of experimental scholarship in all fields, informed by digital humanities, spatial technologies, & cultural heritage thinking.</p>
</section>

<section id="updates" class="feature">
    <div id="recent-posts">
        <h2>Recent Blog Posts</h2>
        <ul>
			{% for post in site.posts limit:4 %}
				{% if post.category != "update" %}
                {% capture authorstring %}
                {% include author-name.html authorid=post.author %}
                {% endcapture %}
                    <li>
                        <h3><a href="{{ post.url }}">{{ post.title }}</a></h3>
                        <p>{{ authorstring }}</p>
                    </li>
            	{% endif %}
            {% endfor %}
        </ul>
        <a class="see-all" href="/blog/">See all our blog posts</a>
    </div>
    <div id="recent-activity">
        <h2>Recent Activity</h2>
		<ul>
		{% for post in site.categories.update limit:3 %}
			<li>{{ post.content | markdownify}}</li>
		{% endfor %}
		</ul>
	<a class="see-all" href="/updates/">See all lab activity updates</a>
    </div>
    <div id="upcoming-events">
        <h2>Upcoming Events</h2>
        <ul id="events"></ul>
        <a class="see-all" href="/events/">See all our events</a>
    </div>
</section>

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<section id="newsletter">
    <h2>Newsletter!</h2>
    <p>Learn about events, news, and more in <a
            href="http://eepurl.com/h_riIP">our newsletter</a>!</p>
</section>

<section id="about-us" class="feature">
    <div>
    <h2>About Us</h2>
    <p>The Scholars’ Lab
        is an interdisciplinary research lab for critical,
        creative, and anti-oppressive explorations of the intersections of
        technology and culture. We offer mentoring, collaboration, and
        supportive space for anyone curious about pushing scholarly
        boundaries through creative, computational research practice. While
        much of our work deals with cultural and humanities questions, we
        welcome and routinely collaborate with all disciplines. Part of the Library’s <a href="https://library.virginia.edu/dh-center/">Digital Humanities Center</a>, our staff
        offer deep expertise in digital humanities, computer and information
        science, spatial technologies, maker, and cultural heritage
        approaches. Our international scholarly leadership lets us connect
        UVA colleagues to the forefront of digital and experimental
        scholarship, collaborators, and opportunities.</p>
        <p><a href="/about">>>> Our Mission</a></p>
    </div>
    <figure>
        <img src="/assets/img/decorative/lab-photos-decorative/homepage-about-us.jpeg" alt="Decorative photo of Scholars' Lab staff and students scanning a cultural heritage artifact">
        <figcaption>
		3D scanning cultural heritage artifacts. <span class="photo-byline">(Photo: Dan Addison, University Communications)</span>
        </figcaption>
    </figure>
</section>
<section id="our-spaces" class="feature">
    <div>
        <h2>Our Work</h2>
        <p>Curious? Please get in touch — absolutely no prior experience or
            fully formed ideas needed! Email us at <a
                href="mailto:scholarslab@virginia.edu">scholarslab@virginia.edu</a>
            with questions, or to schedule a teaching or research consultation.
            Our staff has particular strengths in:</p>
        <ul>
            <li><a href="/digital-humanities">the critical digital humanities</a></li>
            <li><a href="/code-design">code & design</a></li>
            <li><a href="/code-design">collaborative project design & management</a></li>
            <li><a href="/digital-humanities">digital pedagogy</a></li>
            <li><a href="/spatial-technologies">GIS/mapping & analysis</a></li>
            <li><a href="/spatial-technologies">cultural heritage informatics</a></li>
            <li><a href="/spatial-technologies">3D laser scanning & photogrammetry</a></li>
            <li><a href="/makerspace">3D printing, making, & electronics</a></li>
            <li><a href="/spatial-technologies">virtual/augmented reality</a></li>
        </ul>
		<a href="/consult">>>> Our Expertise</a>
    </div>
    <figure>
        <img src="/assets/img/decorative/lab-photos-decorative/homepage-printmaking.jpg" alt="Decorative photo of several inked linoleum blocks from printmaking in SLab's makerspace">
        <figcaption>Printmaking in Scholars' Lab's makerspace.</figcaption>
    </figure>
</section>

<section class="feature" id="lab-space-and-makerspace">
    <h2>Using the Lab & Makerspace</h2>
    <div>
        <h3>THE LAB</h3>
        <p>The Scholars’ Lab includes staff offices, co-working areas, an event
            space, a VR immersion space, and data processing
            workstations. Appointments are encouraged if you want to meet a
            <a href="/people">particular staff member</a> or
            <a href="mailto:lam2c@virginia.edu">request access</a> to specific equipment,
            though the lab space itself is open
            <a href="/use-the-lab#slab-hours">whenever Shannon Library is open</a>.</p>
        <p><a href="/visit">>>> Using the Lab & Makerspace</a></p>
            <figure>
        <img src="/assets/img/decorative/lab-photos-decorative/homepage-usethelab-spotlit.png" alt="Decorative photo of a student writing on a monitor displaying other students' answers to 'What do you love about Shannon (Library building)?', where previous students have written 'Scholar Lab <3' and 'makerspace'">
        <figcaption>Friendly community space for digital & experimental scholarship. <span class="photo-byline">(Photo: Photo: Emily Faith Morgan, UVA Today)</span></figcaption>
    		</figure>
    </div>
    <div>
        <h3>THE LAB'S MAKERSPACE</H3>
        <p>Our <a href="/makerspace">Makerspace</a> supports tinkering and experimentation
            with electronics, fabric arts, 3D printing, laser cutting, and more. Open to everyone, we specialize in applications and
            research questions in the humanities and arts. The
            Makerspace staff provides consultation and instruction
            <a href="https://www.library.virginia.edu/hours/">during open hours</a>, or by appointment. Drop in, or send inquiries to <a href="mailto:slabmakerspace@virginia.edu">slabmakerspace@virginia.edu</a>.</p>
            <p><a href="/makerspace">>>> Explore Our Makerspace</a></p>
            <figure>
        <img src="/assets/img/decorative/lab-photos-decorative/homepage-usethemakerspace.jpg" alt="Decorative photo of Scholars' Lab's makerspace full of makers">
        <figcaption>Our makerspace is open to all.</figcaption>
    		</figure>
    </div>
</section>

<section id="critical-digital-humanities" class="feature">
    <div>
    <h2>Critical Digital Humanities</h2>
    <p>We use “critical” DH here to mean purposeful engagements with the field and community of DH scholarship, including its writings, theory, and international community. Much of the lab’s work draws on our strong DH background (including for non-DH projects and people!) and many of our staff identify as digital humanists and maintain a high level of engagement in external, international DH leadership, service, and community.</p>
    <p><a href="/digital-humanities#critical-dh">>>> Critical DH</a></p>
    </div>
    <figure>
        <img src="/assets/img/decorative/lab-photos-decorative/homepage-criticaldh.jpg" alt="Decorative photo of Scholars' Lab fellows working with staff outdoors on a location-based augmented reality research project">
        <figcaption>Using augmented reality to contextualize race and historical place. <span class="photo-byline">Photo: CC BY-NC Shane Lin.</span></figcaption>
    </figure>
</section>

<section id="digital-humanities-code-design" class="feature">
    <div>
    <h2>Digital Humanities Code + Design</h2>
    <p>We provide research and teaching consultation on a variety of digital
        humanities concepts, approaches, and tools, including digital
        collections & exhibitions, data collection and management, machine
        learning, text analysis, and more. Our particular strengths lie in
        the critical pedagogical and scholarly application of those
        technologies for the humanities.</p>
    <p><a href="/code-design">>>> DH Code + Design</a></p>
    </div>
    <figure>
        <img src="/assets/img/decorative/lab-photos-decorative/homepage-code-and-design.png" alt="Decorative screenshot of Scholars' Lab fellows James Ascher and Sarah Berkowitz's digital textual research project completed with the lab">
        <figcaption>Exploring literary texts through code and visualization. <span class="photo-byline">Image: James Ascher, Sarah Berkowitz.</span></figcaption>
    </figure>
</section>
<section id="spatial-technologies" class="feature">
    <div>
    <h2>Spatial Technologies</h2>
    <p>We've got experts in mapping, GIS data, cultural heritage laser
        scanning & preservation, augmented & virtual reality, and other
        spatial approaches (including ArcGIS StoryMaps) for representing our
        world across space + time. Contact us at <a
            href="mailto:spatial@virginia.edu">spatial@virginia.edu</a> to
        schedule an individual consultation or course instruction session.
    </p>
    <p><a href="/spatial-technologies">>>> Spatial Technologies</a></p>
    </div>
    <figure>
        <img src="/assets/img/decorative/lab-photos-decorative/homepage-spatialtechnologies.jpg" alt="Decorative photo of the GIS Sandbox in use: a projector displays bands of colored light on top of a topographic formation of sand to approximate a topographic map in 3D">
        <figcaption>Investigating & preserving the spatial past & present with digital approaches to mapping, artifacts, and historic architecture.</figcaption>
    </figure>
</section>
<section id="fellowships-and-training" class="feature">
    <div>
    <h2>Fellowships + Training</h2>
    <p>We support the work of emerging and advanced scholars. In addition to our general consultations, we offer
        <a href="/for-students">three graduate fellowship programs</a> that provide students with the
        time, space, and mentorship necessary to discover, explore, and
        build. We also offer a wide variety of opportunities for faculty and students to gain training and experience as digital humanists.
    </p>
    <p><a href="/opportunities">>>> Opportunities</a></p>
    </div>
    <figure>
        <img src="/assets/img/decorative/lab-photos-decorative/homepage-opportunities.jpg" alt="Decorative photo of Scholars' Lab fellows posing in the library">
        <figcaption>Collaborative research fellowships, including for the next generation of digital scholars. <span class="photo-byline">Photo: CC BY-NC Shane Lin.</span></figcaption>
    </figure>
</section>