Prof. Slater: The Media and Mega-Events: Storytelling on sports biggest stage

Responsibilities include reading and learning about international sporting events, training in the coding of media data leading to the collecting and analyzing data alongside faculty and other students. Trainees will also learn about ethical research practices. Trainees will attend weekly meetings and present relevant findings twice a semester.

Strong interest in sports media and/or international affairs. Good organizational and communication skills. Understanding of basic traditional social media functions would be helpful, but these can also be learned.

My goal is to foster a positive research environment where students develop research skills in both quantitative and qualitative methods which are both valuable in media research. I strive to create a team environment where all students contributions are valued and recognized. While much of the work can be done remotely and according to the students' schedule, I like to have weekly meetings to discuss progress, findings, and questions. A key part of the process is the presentation of findings, and I have helped students prepare posters and oral presentations for national and international conferences.

The most important aspect of the mentor relationship is creating a space for students to grow their intellectual curiosity and discover their own academic interests and passions.