Five Journalism + Design students received scholarships to attend SXSW Interactive in Austin, Texas this year. Check here for daily updates on what J+D Director Heather Chaplin and our students — Alex Gerald, Cody Davis, Odalis Garcia, Sterling King, and Tamar Lapin — are learning, experiencing, and sharing from the conference. You can also read their personal takeaways on the #jdsxsw blog — and don’t forget to follow #journalismdesign on Twitter and @journalismdesign on Instagram!
March 17-18: Adios, Austin
Our five J+D students have returned to frigid New York City and are bracing for yet another snow storm — not to mention missed classes and loads of unfinished homework. But before they left sunny Texas, they stayed up late and pumped out a few more articles based on their #SXSW2015 experience.
Does virtual reality have a place in journalism? More than a few people would say yes, reports Alex Gerald. At a panel on Tuesday, leaders in non-fiction virtual reality storytelling said that the technology can conjure up powerful emotions in users. “In a few years time it’ll become something we don’t really think about — just another tool in our kit,” said Jason Mojica, editor-in-chief of VICE News.
“If you want to make a lot of progress you need to make a lot of mistakes” @astroteller #moonshot — Tamar Lapin (@TamarLapin) March 17, 2015
Tamar Lapin was less interested in the virtual, and more interested in the reality. “The cost of living has increased,” a pedicab driver told her, “but there’s also more diversity, better food and more things to do.” In her swan song, Tamar explores how SXSW has changed Austin, and how Austin has changed SXSW — all through the eyes of the infamous pedicabs.
Meanwhile, over at the “Robot Petting Zoo,” Cody Davis interacted with a handful of robots — some cute, some not so cute. His photo story includes the little guys shown above, who intimately asked him, “What is one thing you’ve never told a stranger before?” It also includes a terrifying “flying monkey drone,” and the story behind these imaginative, social robots.
Unlike any other minority group LGBT people don’t grow up among their culture #SXSW #LGBTstory
— Odalis Garcia (@ladyeyrie) March 17, 2015
SXSW is, of course, all about outlandish new technologies — see the adorable talking robots above. But sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of old technology to make a big difference. Odalis Garcia reports on the impact that technology and social media can have on LGBT youth — and how something as simple as a cell phone can save someone from living on the streets.
Audience member at #ourtimetolead says it’s time to stop talking about WHY we need more women in tech and talk abt HOW #SXSW #NewSchoolSXSW — Sterling King (@sterlingmking) March 17, 2015
And last, but by no means least, Sterling King compares fashion predictions from 1939 with some of the modern-day innovations discussed at SXSW. Among them? Shapeshifting garments (coming soon), an electric belt that controls body temperature (also coming soon, though it may not be in belt form), and a wedding dress made of glass (we’re still waiting on that one, unfortunately).
Read the rest of the students’ posts from Austin on their SXSW blog! And don’t forget to follow #journalismdesign on Twitter and @journalismdesign on Instagram to stay up-to-date on what’s happening with the program.
March 16: VEEP, Racial Identity, and Transportation in the 21st Century
Our J+D students were just a little excited to see Julia Louis-Dreyfus in person yesterday…
Don’t mind us fangirling over the cast of #VEEP here at #SXSW #jdsxsw A photo posted by Journalism + Design (@journalismdesign) on
“I don’t karaoke and I never will karaoke. Don’t ever ask me that again!” @OfficialJLD #MCxVeep #newschoolsxsw — Sterling King (@sterlingmking) March 16, 2015
Selena’s advice to Frank Underwood: “lighten up!” @OfficialJLD #MCxVeep #veepspeaks #sxsw — Tamar Lapin (@TamarLapin) March 16, 2015
…but Odalis was able to settle down for a more serious panel on Latinos…
“Sometimes we perpetuate our own stereotypes.” @robynmoreno on Latinos #HechoByYou #SXSW — Odalis Garcia (@ladyeyrie) March 16, 2015
Check out Odalis’s blog post, “Sticking to Your Roots,” about another panel she attended on Afro-Latinos. Cody, meanwhile, was all about modern-day transportation…
“How do you take a really high-tech process and scale it across the country?” #LoganGreen @lyft — Cody Davis (@codydavisphotos) March 16, 2015
Green says that only 5% of people in the U.S. take the bus. #SXSWInteractive #NewSchoolSXSW #journalismdesign — Cody Davis (@codydavisphotos) March 16, 2015
…but even Lyft can’t match the allure of a pedicab on a beautiful Austin day.
J+D students on the streets of Austin #sxsw2015 @thenewschool pic.twitter.com/iQd2pq8MlR — Heather Chaplin (@heatherchaplin) March 16, 2015
Hey! Odalis wasn’t the only student to write something about #SXSW — be sure to read Tamar’s piece about a panel discussion on satire and Charlie Hebdo, as well as Alex’s take on an hour-long event about mind clones. March 15: Scary Tech, Charlie Hebdo, and Mushroom-Based Clothing First up? Our future.
Human rights are so last week. It’s all about cyber-concious being rights. #futureself #sxsw — Alex Gerald (@alexbeansgerald) March 15, 2015
“Everyone has the right to live as long as they want” #askmartine on AI and immortality #SXSW #NewSchoolSXSW — Sterling King (@sterlingmking) March 15, 2015
A small #Phenox #drone at the #SXSWInteractive trade show. #newschoolSXSW #journalismdesign #innovation #tech #future A video posted by Cody Davis (@rolsem) on
“The future is already here— it’s just unevenly distributed.”-@GreatDismal #SXSWInteractive #VirtualReality #NewSchoolSXSW #journalismdesign — Cody Davis (@codydavisphotos) March 15, 2015
Is anyone else here TERRIFIED? #futureself #SXSW2015 — Alex Gerald (@alexbeansgerald) March 15, 2015
Then Odalis & Tamar get serious about satire…
day two–first panel: Charlie Hebdo Lessons on Satire & Journalism #sxsw #jdsxsw #journalismdesign #newschoolsxsw #sxhebdo A photo posted by Odalis G (@inwonderland3) on
“One person’s self censorship is another person’s good decision” @acarvin #sxhebdo — Tamar Lapin (@TamarLapin) March 15, 2015
“You can kill people but you can’t kill a concept.” @acarvin #SXSW #sxhebdo — Odalis G (@ladyeyrie) March 15, 2015
…while Sterling contemplates a new wardrobe.
coming to a store near you? garments made of mushroom fibers w computational capabilities that shape shift & biodegrade #sxstyle #jdsxsw — Sterling King (@sterlingmking) March 15, 2015
Smart fibers could control body temp, eliminating the need to dress for diff climates. What will I do with my winter coats? #sxstyle #jdsxsw — Sterling King (@sterlingmking) March 15, 2015
It’s a lot of work…
Journslism+Design students never sleep. @TamarLapin works her contacts @sxsw2015. #journalismdesign pic.twitter.com/XLTJp7Qz1i — Heather Chaplin (@heatherchaplin) March 14, 2015
…but we think they’re having a pretty good time.
Lol, this guy at the @knightfoundation County Fair. #journalismdesign #newschoolSXSW #SXSWInteractive A video posted by Cody Davis (@rolsem) on
the awesomest journalism students attend the awesomest journalism party! #jdsxsw #newschoolsxsw #sxsw #journalismdesign A photo posted by Odalis G (@inwonderland3) on
March 13-14: Getting Settled in Austin
SXSW foot traffic is almost as bad as Times Square during peak hours!!! #journalismdesign #jdsxsw — Odalis G (@ladyeyrie) March 14, 2015
Ok, where is best cup of coffee around these parts? sxsw2015 — Heather Chaplin (@heatherchaplin) March 13, 2015
New schoolers checking out the bike share program in Austin #sxswinteractive #newschoolsxsw A photo posted by Journalism + Design (@journalismdesign) on
…And on to the panels!
Starting today off with “Are you in a social media experiment?” Am I? Let’s find out! #NewSchoolSXSW #socialrats #jdsxsw — Tamar Lapin (@TamarLapin) March 14, 2015
Analytics of Obama’s Twitter feed #socialrats #NewSchoolSXSW #journalismdesign pic.twitter.com/h8Bnbl1Rm2 — Tamar Lapin (@TamarLapin) March 14, 2015
Bruce Sterling is talking about a ring made from the bone of your partner, grown in a petri dish. #newschoolSXSW #journalismdesign #bioart — Cody Davis (@codydavisphotos) March 14, 2015
We need alumni like @hichrisfabian influencing the development and deployment of #dronesforgood. #newschoolsxsw pic.twitter.com/vuWvd2TkJH — New School Alumni (@NewSchoolAlumni) March 14, 2015
“I’m a CEO and I run a company and I can’t get myself to work,” Princess Reema on Saudi women driving #SXwomen #Empower2015 #NewSchoolSXSW — Sterling King (@sterlingmking) March 14, 2015
Saudi women working that counter of Bobbi Brown #SXSW #empower pic.twitter.com/sv2H7RbSvC — Odalis G (@ladyeyrie) March 14, 2015
What if the gaming industry listened to more indigenous voices? Check out @NeverAloneGame #SXSW #SXSWGaming #journalismdesign #newschoolsxsw — Alex Gerald (@alexbeansgerald) March 14, 2015
And, of course, the shenanigans:
“Free beer and puppies!” #SXSW #jdsxsw — Odalis G (@ladyeyrie) March 14, 2015
pup roaming the halls of austin Convention Center! #jdsxsw #journalismdesign pic.twitter.com/oMxINI41jf — Odalis G (@ladyeyrie) March 14, 2015
And the future of journslism is … Irish jiggers. Done. Let’s go home. #sxsw2015. #journalismdesign pic.twitter.com/ULW6VuWrVr — Heather Chaplin (@heatherchaplin) March 14, 2015