2024 Symposium on Information for Social Good & Scholars Showcase

Panelists: Kayla Cavenaugh, Caetlyn Elder, Colette Harley, Grant Stroud, Kalei Woodford

Location: Manning 01

The public has a vague idea what an archive’s purpose is, what an archive does, and what value an archive brings to a community. The intrinsic value of an archive is often misunderstood, even downplayed, by individuals unfamiliar with archival spaces. This includes professionals who utilize the archives or participate in a field adjacent to archival studies, not limited to librarians, historians, and researchers. The power held by the archivist can be underestimated within the archival profession. This panel discusses the perceptions from both an outside and inside view, demonstrating how archives are seen and understood, the impacts those perceptions have on archivists, and how archivists can engage with questions raised by the public.

Panelists: Nate Allen, Codi Crowe, Donna Shackle

Location: Manning 14

Kenneth W. Duckett upheld this part of the Archivist’s Code until his death in 2014, when the articles he worked so hard to protect and save went fully public. In this case study, we examine Duckett’s actions through the lens of the Archivist’s Code. We ask the question: “How far are you willing to go to protect and preserve history?”

Panelists: Penelope Bacher, Ivy Drew, Olivia Levin, Bernice Meja, Christian Pearce

Location: Manning 208

Through examination of multiple case studies, intergenerational literacy in the context of the digital divide will be investigated, highlighting the importance of bilateral diffusion of technological knowledge to both help digital immigrants have better access to digital information, as well as help connect past and present ways of knowing to support meaningful intercultural and intergenerational connections. Integrating diverse and indigenous ways of knowing in the digital age is of utmost importance while also understanding the burden of children as intergenerational information disseminators, the use of cultural artifacts as tools for technology literacy and education, and the importance of information institutions.

Panelists: Daoxiong Gong, Freya Liu, Luxuan Zhang, Zhaoxi Zhang

Location: Manning 303

Technological advancements have enabled companies like Facebook, Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft to closely monitor their employees. While employee surveillance can help improve productivity and security, it raises concerns about infringing on privacy if they follow the principle of “The more, the better.” Methods like tracking software, reviewing social media, gathering health information, monitoring communications and even recording the screen while working allow companies to have “tons” of employee data. However, does the value gained from this constant surveillance justify the erosion of workplace privacy? The solution lies in transparency, relevance, choice, security, and a focus on outcomes rather than control.

Participants: Sarah Goldin, Andrew Moua, Courtney Thomas

Location: Manning 304

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) presents unprecedented challenges and opportunities within the legal sphere, particularly in terms of copyright law, privacy, and ethical standards. This research delves into the multifaceted legal implications of AI, drawing on a variety of scholarly sources, legal cases, and regulatory guidelines to offer a comprehensive overview. Central to our investigation is the landmark Thaler v. Perlmutter case, which probes the intricacies of copyright law as applied to AI-generated content, highlighting the pivotal distinction between human and AI authorship. This case underscores the necessity of human creativity for copyright eligibility, a principle that has far-reaching implications for creators utilizing AI technologies.

Panelists: Yijun Gu, Jenna Qi, Kristen Rea, Jaycee Sansom

Location: Manning 307

The evolution of copyright law in America has significantly influenced how information professionals manage and distribute materials in their collections. As custodians of information, they grapple with myriad ethical dilemmas within the intricate realm of copyright, striving to strike a balance between creators’ and copyright holders’ rights and the public’s access to knowledge. Recent copyright concerns have been propelled by generative AI (GAI), raising questions about both its training and usage. In contemplating the future of copyright, particularly concerning GAI, regulatory frameworks should encourage AI technology development and the generation of new creative works. This entails subjecting copyright protection for computer-generated works to the same criteria as other works.

Panelists: Shatha Alzouby, Sarah Kirkgard, Emily Przykucki, Shreyasri Sirlapu, David Werner

Location: Manning 01

We will delve into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the profound impact that it has created in our daily lives. Join us as we unravel the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI advancements, including issues of transparency and fairness. Our focus will be centered around racial bias in the development and application of AI across multiple fields such as healthcare, criminal justice, workplace hiring, and design systems. Through structured discussions, we aim to give an overview of each of these fields, an analysis of each of their ramifications, and present effective strategies for addressing and rectifying racial bias in AI.

Participants: Kenneth Daniel, Feifei Kaglic, Maya Shenoy

Location: Manning 13

The rise of censorship in higher education and information services has increasingly proven to be antithetical to our democratic society. Members of underrepresented groups such as BIPOC, immigrants, non-Western cultures, LGBTQ+ communities, disabled folks, and more are facing heinous restrictions that challenge their right to exist, learn, and thrive. This alarming trend, if not curbed, will exacerbate existing power struggles and unleash disastrous consequences on our society for generations to come.

Panelists: Erica Freed, Alexandra Gaines, Callie Staker

Location: Manning 14

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, public libraries are continually adapting to meet the needs and interests of their young patrons. This panel discussion explores key aspects of youth library services, focusing on how changes in services impact the layout and design of youth spaces, the significance of teen spaces, and the diverse internet spaces provided for youth within public libraries. What should be the standard for digital youth spaces, and how can libraries commit to serving this population in the digital space in an increasingly commercialized internet?

Panelists: Luke Cimarusti, Katie Grotewiel, Abigail Martin

Location: Manning 208

We address institutional weaknesses prevalent in contemporary archives. Presentations center around underrepresented media, populations, and practices. Topics include slow archiving as a reaction to the standardization of “More Product, Less Process”; weaknesses in the organization of feminist and queer publications in both digital and physical repositories; and documentation and preservation of new media art practices.

Panelists: Xize Cao, Yi Chen, Shivani Kale, Yulan Mao, Dantong Xiang

Location: Manning 303

In the rapidly evolving digital age, protecting personal data privacy juxtaposed with the necessity of utilizing training data for machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) innovation presents a complex challenge. This session aims to explore this dichotomy, offering an integrated perspective on how regulatory frameworks, differential privacy techniques, and ethical considerations collectively shape our approach to handling sensitive data. We propose an integrated approach to navigating the privacy landscape, emphasizing the interplay between legal, technical, and ethical strategies in protecting and utilizing training data. We aim to foster a deeper understanding of the complexities of ensuring data privacy while advancing technological innovation.

Panelists: Roshan Panjwani, Ashley Rockenbach, Ian Wheeler

Location: Manning 304

Librarians and archivists find themselves in the center of a cultural and legislative backlash that targets DEI efforts. Collections decisions to carry books that explore racial and gender identity are being challenged in both school and public libraries. This panel focuses on the ongoing work in LIS/archives to identify and eradicate the effects of White supremacy across our profession’s practices and procedures. What does it look like to continue this work in a political climate that targets libraries and archives? Who can and should do this work? And what does it mean to be accountable to the communities we serve?

Panelists:  Caden Gregorio, Paras Khatri, Anqi Zhou

Location: Manning 01

In an era where digital landscapes continuously evolve, the rise of smart devices and social media has significantly influenced both the technology industry and societal norms. Our panel aims to explore this intricate web of interactions from three critical perspectives: the design and competition of smart technology products, the psychological impacts of social media on attention spans, and the behavioral effects of social media on younger generations.

Panelists: Emma Barrett-Catton, Kennedy-Grace Pierce, Ash Radtke

Location: Manning 13

We explore accessibility in libraries and their relationships with various other policies and services. We will explore this idea through three lenses: impact of library policies on access to library spaces, access through interlibrary loan, and accessibility implementation and improvement through course reserves. Our goal is to examine how matters regarding accessibility are entrenched in various library departments, services, and policies. In order for libraries to fully meet the needs of their users, not only must each department work to be accessible, but departments must communicate and build said services and resources with each other, with stakeholders, and with partners.

Panelists:  Karel Koon, Madison Olson, Isabella Walker, Jacob Weinick

Location: Manning 14

Who gets to use archives? The answer has changed over the past five millennia. Early archives served legal, political, and organizational ends. Their users included monarchs, business owners, clergy, politicians, and military personnel. Current archives serve traditional ends along with cultural, historical, and scholarly ends. Their users include the former plus academics, historians, artists, and the public—although not the public at large. As institutions, archives are unspeaking; the people who use archives are their speakers. Those users wield power to create myths about archival holdings, which include materials from marginalized groups that may lack access to archives.

Panelists: Natalie Davis, Carter Franklin, Benjamin Huffstetler, Elizabeth Sanford

Location: Manning 208

Information professionals are in a position to decide who has access to what information, but external pressure from governmental bodies, like the U.S. Supreme Court, limits their power. This panel examines the balance of gatekeeping and empowerment in our evolving media and information landscape. We will assert that the levels of transparency for government documents vary depending on which administration is currently in office. We will be examining cases of handling and defending sensitive materials in public and academic libraries and discussing the right to information versus the right to protect against dangerous materials.

Panelists: Yiwen Lou, Xuehan Wang, Shufeng Zhang, Ruonan Zhao

Location: Manning 303

Social virtual reality is on the cusp of transforming human interaction, but with its rise comes a magnified form of harassment. By comparing VR’s unique issues with those of online and real-world harassment, we aim to highlight the parallels and divergences that shape user experiences. The session will navigate through the complexities with a focus on enhanced empathy through embodiment in VR, discrepancies in accessibility and user demographics, and the need for innovative regulation and interaction systems. Through a detailed examination of a case study in VRChat, we illuminate the urgent necessity for redefined consent and reporting mechanisms in the VR landscape.

Panelists: Aftab Khan, Jaya Madanraj, Shaniek Wiltshier, Minli Zheng, Ziyin Zheng

Location: Manning 304

AI has become widely popular, spanning everywhere from education, hiring practices and data privacy/security. As it becomes a part of our daily lives, it is crucial to consider the ethical repercussions. Are the ways we use AI in institutions morally sound? How do we measure ethics alongside AI practices and integrations? Such questions prompt us to think about the impact of AI on our values and society.

Panelists: Madi Blewett, Lidia Mohammed, Tara O’Donnell, Cole Richard, Jordan Smith

Location: Manning 01

Institutional archives and repositories tend to have established policies and ethical guidelines regarding access to harmful and extremist materials. In contrast, social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, and digital archives, such as the Internet Archive, lack established ethical policies concerning the collection and preservation of these materials. As these platforms are unregulated in this regard, it calls into question the duty of information scientists to mitigate user harm. Our panel will tackle this concern by looking at ethics, previous methods set forth by repositories, the role censorship plays in information retrieval, and social media’s ability to encourage extremist rhetoric.

Panelists: Will Boyer, Kathleen Godar, Morgan Roberts, Zoe Thomas

Location: Manning 14

The focus of this panel will be to explore different perspectives on the responsible control and dissemination of records and sensitive information. We focus on the relationship between donors and repositories, addressing the level of control each entity should have over donations. We also discuss privacy and control of information within archives and address increasingly complex practices regarding responsible handling of personal data in digital landscapes.

Panelists: Lindsey Allison, Elizabeth Esser, Alex Daniels, Cat Rashid, Cammy Riemann

Location: Manning 208

The current state of United States copyright law presents many challenges which highlight the complex relationship between technology, educational resources, and legal frameworks. This panel will explore these challenges through the lenses of outdated copyright guidelines like CONTU (Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works Guidelines), training generative AI models on copyrighted materials, video game preservation, fear of copyright infringement by students accessing media spaces, and the modern librarian’s duty of providing access to copyrighted materials through CDL (Controlled Digital Lending). The panel will explore tensions between balancing public access with respect for intellectual property rights in our ever-changing landscape of information dissemination and preservation.

Panelists: Jed Edwards, Percy Langston, Lianna Tillinghast, Rebecca Topper

Location: Manning 303

Along the trend of increasing focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in libraries, our panel looks broadly at inclusion in library spaces. We take an expansive approach, looking at libraries—their spaces and collections—and the people in them (librarians and their users). We look at who libraries include and exclude, who they empower and disempower. By approaching these topics, we hope to identify barriers of access in the LIS field and promote inclusivity in library spaces. Our goal is to promote a welcoming and adaptive environment for both users and professionals of libraries, regardless of background or identity.

Panelists: Ola Alshaikhli, Alejandro Gutierrez-Ochoa, Tvisha Patel, Neha Prakash

Location: Manning 304

As technology permeates across geographic and cultural boundaries, product designers and developers face heightened ethical obligations to consider diverse user needs, perspectives, and values. This panel will explore critical issues, best practices, and case studies at the intersection of ethical design, accessibility, inclusion, and responsible cross-border innovation. Together, we will underscore why it is important to move beyond compliance checklists to fully embrace diversity, make space for community co-creation, and develop a deeper sensitivity to the intended and unintended impacts of their products globally. This approach will not only help enrich organizations but also ensure a more diverse and inclusive space for everyone.

Panelists: Andrew Claybrook, Michael Hulsey, Logan Pritchard, M Roberts, Madison Zehmer

Location: Manning 307

Does knowing what you’re looking for matter if you can’t find it? This presentation analyzes accessibility and utility in the Library of Congress catalog and subject headings. Catalogs reflect their creators and their creators’ biases; we examine these biases and propose alternate cataloging practices. Users deserve to feel welcomed; however, it can be difficult to figure out how to accomplish this when librarians may not have a good sense of their user base or know how to affect change. After reviewing literature on representation in cataloging and subject headings, we present a case study in alternate vocabularies that better represent historically marginalized patrons.

Panelists: Khushi Agarwal, Casey Couillard, Amrut Dagade, Jinjing Tan, Anjali Venketa

Location: Manning 01

As financial institutions embrace data-driven technologies to enhance customer experiences and operational efficiencies, protecting privacy and securing sensitive data has become a paramount concern. This intricate landscape demands a comprehensive approach that seamlessly integrates robust cybersecurity defenses, transparent data governance frameworks, and user-centric design philosophies to cultivate consumer trust while ensuring regulatory compliance. Financial institutions must adopt a comprehensive strategy that harmonizes innovative technologies with robust security protocols, transparent data governance, and user-centric design. By doing so, they can navigate regulatory complexities, mitigate cyber risks, safeguard consumer privacy, and deliver exceptional digital experiences—solidifying their position as trusted custodians of sensitive financial data.

Participants: Ashley Cavuto, Marlee Charlton, Jenna Gatley, Katie Murphy, Addie Stinson

Location: Manning 14

While many workplaces focus on the physical health of their employees, the same care is often not applied to their mental well-being. The influence of professional responsibilities and the workplace environment experienced by employees is a new area of interest in many professional spheres, an idea which is slowly making its way into the field of library science. Together, the panel will explore the current and future state of mental health in library science fields.

Panelists: Lani Chappell, Shira Greer, Sriya Kasumarthi, Shirley Liu, Norry Lu

Location: Manning 208

We explore a comprehensive approach to inclusive design. We introduce the concept of accessibility as a facet of care ethics, framing the importance of prioritizing accessibility in web design. We delve into considerations for neurodivergent users, emphasizing the need for digital accessibility. We examine the intersection of aesthetics, values, and ethics in making web content accessible. We demonstrate practical aspects by discussing the prototyping of accessible webpages. We conclude by highlighting strategies to ensure an accessible user experience.

Panelists: Olivia Coyne, Mari Fabian, Kate Gryson, Grace Marshall, Erin Zamborsky

Location: Manning 303

Digital media have become an integral part of society, and digital media has facilitated the creation of communities across cultural and geographical boundaries. However, the mechanism to record and perpetuate these communities has yet to be researched and established in current scholarship, leading to a gap that we wish to discuss. The three areas of interest that will be considered in our case study are Fandom, Sports, and Activism. In all three of these studies, parasocial relationships, narratives, memories, and biases are all important in these communities while posing the idea of Communitology – the study of community within these popular media.

Panelists: Mads Bradley, Will Clemons, Emma Giles, Sam Hahn, Hattie Smith

Location: Manning 304

Generative AI has made significant advancements in recent years, and platforms like ChatGPT have garnered widespread use. In response, many universities across the United States have developed guidelines for the student use of generative AI. We compare these guidelines across several notable universities, offering key takeaways on how different institutions have addressed the issue. Additionally, three SILS faculty members provide perspectives on how guidelines should be implemented. There are several core ethical considerations regarding student use of generative AI, particularly regarding plagiarism. We contend that generative AI leads to positive learning outcomes if the appropriate student guidelines are in place.

Panelists: Beth Anne Baugh, Anna Cohen, Madison Veeneman

Location: Manning 307

We will unpack what “openness” means within a library context, in both public and academic library settings, addressing the social responsibilities of libraries, the use of open educational resources, and the use of Subscribe to Open models.

Bea Babel (bbabel@unc.edu)
David Mallinson (davidmal@unc.edu)
Keegan Burr (kpburr@ad.unc.edu)
Sydney Schaefer (sydney1s@ad.unc.edu)

This poster explores the complex ethical landscape of AI use in education, highlighting both the positives and the unique challenges it presents. Through an analysis of benefits, drawbacks, and ethical considerations, it addresses the risks for various stakeholders and outlines possible courses of action that can be taken. Overall, the research aims to shed light on how AI can be ethically harnessed to advance education for social good, while also navigating the risks associated with its implementation.

Andrea McLendon (andreamclendon90@gmail.com)
Jennifer Modesto (jennifermm727@gmail.com)
Kevin Chen (kevinchen01996@gmail.com)
Minhvu Nguyen (nguyenwatertower@gmail.com)

Gene editing (CRISPR) brings up ethical issues involving the appropriate time it should be used, whether the technology violates human dignity, how genes are classified as “good” vs. bad”, and the economic injustices involved with it. Gene editing involves multiple stakeholders who each have a different purpose and point of view, including companies creating the technology, farmers, patients, researchers, and more. This analysis explores possible courses of actions that can be taken with this technology based on research conducted, and the ethical implications of each possibility.

Arya Rao (arao1@unc.edu)
Mary Kathryn Schultz (mks05@unc.edu)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, education transformed significantly due to the use of remote learning. With institutions still offering remote options, ethical challenges often arise. Ensuring equitable access to technology and internet connectivity is essential, especially in rural areas. Furthermore, the impact of remote learning on the mental health of students and teachers and concerns related to digital privacy must be navigated. To mitigate these issues, collaboration should be promoted, data protection policies must be improved, and school programs can provide devices or funding.

Beckett Darcy (bdarcy@ad.unc.edu)
Jovan Haynes (jovan.haynes@unc.edu)
Corbin Jude (corbinj@email.unc.edu)

The Apple Vision Pro marks the beginning of augmented and virtual reality becoming commonplace in society today. These technologies could revolutionize business and education or plunge us further into social isolation and a cultural divide. As AR/VR develops, privacy, equity, and user protection must be regulated between government entities and developers of AR/VR products without impeding progress by hindering technological innovations. It is crucial to balance regulations carefully as AR and VR will impact the next iteration of “digital natives” – those who will grow immersed in augmented reality.

Annie Goli (archgoli@unc.edu)
Marlette Dakiwas (mdakiwas@unc.edu)
Ashlyn Joshy (ashlyna@ad.unc.edu)

Digital divide refers to the unequal access to technology among different populations. The digital divide in the United States poses a significant ethical issue that furthers inequality. With the exponential dependence on technology in society, access to technology is vital for many relevant services, such as job opportunities, general access to the Internet, and the ability to use telehealth services. The lack of access creates a ripple effect, hindering educational attainment, economic mobility, and overall well-being.

Riley Seiple (rseiple@unc.edu)
Abbey St. Pierre (ast.-pierre@unc.edu)
Jared Stolzberg (jastolz@ad.unc.edu)

This poster explores the use of computer systems and networks for political and social activism, often called “hacktivism”. It examines the ethical concerns surrounding hacktivist tactics, including legality, accountability, and proportionality. By analyzing the impact of hacktivist actions on individuals, organizations, and society at large, the poster aims to foster a deeper understanding of the ethical implications of hacktivism in the digital age.

Halden Levin (uniram20@ad.unc.edu)
Victoria Lee (vsl@ad.unc.edu)
Riley Modlin (rileypm@email.unc.edu)

AI companionship refers to the development and utilization of AI technologies to create digital entities capable of providing companionship, support, and interaction for humans. While AI companionship may pose certain benefits, it also raises ethical concerns regarding privacy and data security, sentience and AI rights, and emotional dependencies and mental health. The major stakeholders involved are individuals who use AI companions, emotionally vulnerable individuals, AI companions, and developers of AI companions. As AI companions become more prevalent, it is vital that users are informed about the benefits and ethical concerns they raise.

Jack Deaton (jadeaton@unc.edu)
Osman Mustafic (osmanm@unc.edu)
Luke Schmidt (lukeant@unc.edu)

This poster analyzes the exponential growth of AI prevalence over the last few years, both in positive and negative ways, examining the theoretical long term paths AI could take. Could this technological advance go from nifty tool to help with school assignments to an apocalyptic Armageddon? The poster highlights the past, present, and possible future of AI to provide insight into how it might impact our world, for better or worse.

Julianna Surkin, Senior Honors Thesis in Information Science

This research illuminates the labyrinth of dark patterns users encounter when subscribing or unsubscribing from an online service or product. A qualitative approach was used to conduct in-depth case studies to annotate eleven sign-up and cancellation processes for existing streaming platforms and diversified software services. The findings illustrate salient examples of asymmetric effort and deceptive design. Results indicate that the degree of asymmetry and the effort expended to complete the task to sign-up or cancel subscriptions can measured by amount of time taken and number of steps required, the prevalence of dark patterns, and the underlying complexity in information architectures. Recommendations include greater oversight by consumer protection bodies and design guidelines for best practices to decrease the asymmetry in effort between sign-up and cancellation processes.

Moore County Historical Association is a non-profit research with the mission to acquire, manage, restore, and preserve historical material. Their mission is also to collect and own physical records, ensure openness for public viewing, and to foster a friendly relationship with its community. We plan to help the Moore County Historical Association develop their online archive through the digitization of their stored audio-visual materials.

• Griffin Powell
• Kalei Woodford
• Haleigh Ardolino

The Tabletop Game Practicum project explores bringing a tabletop game collection to a library setting. As a collective, we decided that the best course of action to propose a board game collection was to write a business plan that addressed all aspects of this possible collection along with providing data on the cost and time. We consulted with local librarians and institutions that have similar collections and create a sound business plan that library’s can take and implement with future students.

• Miro Deluca
• Chelsea Lancaster
• Elizabeth Findley
• Taylor Brannan
• Mrudula Chavali

The DEI Curriculum project was inspired by lack of diversity in the SILS program, both in its community and coursework. For this project, we plan to create a DEI Curriculum Card Deck that ILS departments can use to integrate DEI practices and learning into their curriculum. To do this, we plan to create a versatile card deck that allows professors to pick and choose how they include that information. This will be done by making cards that utilize a variety of teaching strategies, activities, and DEI information. To make these card decks, we will do research on DEI, pedagogy, teaching practices, etc. Then, we will create cards based on this information in a way that allows them to be mixed and matched.

• Geniviéve Crites
• Marina Klimova
• Jade Gregory
• Logan Hill

The Integrated Spatiotemporal Data Analysis Platform practicum aims to address the evolving needs of organizations dealing with diverse and complex datasets, particularly in the realms of environmental and urban data analysis. The development of an Integrated Spatiotemporal Data Analysis Platform will address the explosion of data from various sources necessitates advanced tools and methodologies for effective analysis. The gap lies in the seamless integration of spatiotemporal data from disparate sources, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for predictive analytics, and presenting the findings through intuitive visualization tools.

• Lei Zhang
• Qi Xue
• Jiayi Chen
• Zijie Zhao
• Runqi Hou

Our project centers on improving the experience of caregivers by offering deep insights into their challenges and needs. Through the “Caregiver Strain Index Survey,” we aim to uncover the multifaceted aspects of caregiving, focusing on both the seamless survey experience for participants and the enrichment of the caregiver community. Our approach includes interviewing caregivers for personalized survey tailoring, categorizing questions to highlight mental and physical strains, and employing innovative data visualization techniques to bring to light the caregivers’ stories. This initiative is a step towards creating meaningful solutions that address the daily challenges faced by caregivers, with the ultimate goal of fostering a stronger, more supported caregiver community.

• Claudia Wei
• Dantong Xiang
• Jenny Chueh
• Roxy Huang
• Shivani Kale
• Yehee Kim

The use of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) has become a hot topic of debate over the last year. In particular, the release of specific genAI tools such as ChatGPT, DALL-E and Stable Diffusion have dominated public discourse and have begun to change the way that people approach work in several different fields. This practicum project seeks to design a study that helps researchers understand how creative community members embrace genAI and integrate these new technologies into their own work. Specifically, our project aims to create the basis for a research study that understands the role genAI plays in the creative process and idea development process. This includes completing necessary components for submission of the study to the Institutional Review Board, as well as crafting and testing questions around studying how, when, and why AI-generated content shapes creators’ information interactions and how these interactions shape their own AI-generated content.

• Taelor Wright
• Jessica Green
• Samantha Killmer

In preparation for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Wilson Library Improvement Project, the Technical Services for Special Collections staff is initiating a mass assessment and reorganization of the backlogged archival materials in Wilson Library. This project follows the processing and collection management work of graduate students as they navigate high-level processing through rehousing, inventorying, describing, and barcoding.

• Callie Beattie
• Becca Brantley
• Hannah Helmey
• Kensi Laube

In terms of collection assessment, libraries have increasingly acknowledged the importance of incorporating diversity audits into their regular assessment processes with the aim of creating more equitable collections. This is certainly the case in the Durham County Public Schools district, where it has recently been mandated that all the district’s school libraries conduct a diversity audit of their collections. This project will focus on conducting this diversity audit as well as creating an informational document with instructions on conducting a diversity audit. Additionally, we plan to start a small student advisory committee at Riverside to encourage student input on the collection. By going through this process our team not only hopes to gain practical assessment experience but experience with youth collaboration and advocacy

• Katelynn Laws
• Kama Cerimele

The Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World (BAGRW) was published in 2000 as the first comprehensive atlas of ancient Europe, North Africa, and Asia. This practicum group proposes to process the BAGRW Collection and create a finding aid consistent with University standards to create intellectual control and to promote searching and finding of the materials. The correspondence, grant proposals, drafting materials, map negatives, and floppy disks associated with the creation of the Atlas are now housed within the UNC Davis Library’s Ancient World Mapping Center where they are organized in folders spread across several filing cabinets.

• Aidan Canner
• Ari Smith
• Ella Breed
• Hannah Nicholson
• Jenna Lloyd
• Matthew Thieroff

“Recipes Resurrected: North Carolina Culinary Treasures from the Archive” is a digital exhibit that intertwines archival material from UNC’s Wilson Special Collections Library with secondary research on North Carolina foodways. Sourced from the Southern Historical and North Carolina Collections, the cookbook contains recipes and advertisements from manuscripts, cookbooks, and newspapers. The project is divided into three sections: Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain, providing viewers with a holistic view of our state’s culinary traditions. Our exhibit is hosted on Scalar, an online publishing platform produced by the Alliance for Networking Visual Culture. Cookbooks and related materials from the Southeast United States are rich sources for scholars working in the humanities and social sciences who study daily rituals, representations of culture, and more.

• Jillian MacKinnon
• Belle Kozubowksi
• Adriana Quijano
• Simone Gillespie

The goal of Project READY: Reimagining Equity & Access for Diverse Youth was to create a comprehensive professional development curriculum for library staff and educators on race and racism, racial equity, and culturally sustaining pedagogy. Our goal with this practicum is to update and expand the original Project READY curriculum by introducing more current research and concepts and maintaining the functional aspects of the project website, such as disability accessibility and working links.

• Abbie Mann-Wood
• Fiona Lynch
• Sarah Doyon
• Emily Michaels
• Isabella Luongo
• Julia Greene
• Lauren Crowe

NeuroBridge is a platform for data discovery to enhance the reuse of clinical neuroscience/neuroimaging data. The goal of Neurobridge is to improve the utilization of the vast amounts of neuroimaging data being generated across many separate databases and labs, which currently exist in silos and are challenging to leverage for new research. To accomplish this goal, it combines machine learning with ontology-based search of both neuroimaging repositories (e.g. XNAT databases) and open-access full-text journals (such as PubMed Central). The focus of this project is to expand and refine our ontology.

• Kuangzheng Zhao
• Xiaoyu Gao
• Zihe Xu
• Luxin Zhang
• Tong Pan

The Bergenfield Public Library is interested in offering adult basic education (ABE) services that are separate from but complementary to its successful English Second Language (ESL) program. The goal of this project is to develop an ABE program that helps native English speakers who hope to obtain high school equivalency certificates or achieve other personalized literacy goals. We have created a guidebook to serve as a foundational resource for the library staff to implement and execute the proposed program.

• Mary Schrader
• Sarah Waugh
• James Onorevole
• Julia Amodeo

Pattern’s mission is to redefine the e-commerce landscape, distinguishing itself from traditional models by focusing on e-commerce acceleration, a concept markedly different from e-commerce aggregation. The focus of this project is developing an efficient shift planning tool, providing the Operations team with insights into anticipated workload, optimal labor allocation, and efficient shift management.

• Oliver Sherren
• Mohan Ram Rajendran
• Alejandro Gutierrez-Ochoa
• Khushi Agarwal
• Andrew Sadler

BelongIn is an application designed to forge connections amongst individuals based on shared interests, passions, and academic pursuits. Our team’s primary focus has been developing BelongIn into a more innovative, user-centric application. The development of Version 3.0 aims not only to build upon the strengths of its predecessors, but also to introduce additional features which enhance the overall user experience. As we delved into the intricacies of BelongIn, it became evident that the application’s evolution is deeply rooted in user feedback, rigorous testing, and a commitment to iterative improvements. Our primary objective has been to elevate the overall user experience and interface. This required a focus on accessibility, the establishment of a robust online community, a consistent user interface throughout the application, and smooth navigation across different pages and links. We have also worked towards introducing new features, including a responsive web app design for all screens, the introduction of group privacy settings to enable private group interactions, an enhanced capacity for onboarding new users, streamlined user flows, and bug fixes for existing features.

• Shreya Sirlapu
• Ola Alshaikhli
• Kaden Graham
• Jiajia Chen
• Mariam Tariq

The project aims to create a secure collaborative survey platform using multiparty computation (MPC), enabling diverse participants to contribute to data initiatives. We will focus on the platform’s security and privacy guarantees while also prioritizing usability. We draw motivation for the project from use cases involving universities across North Carolina. Specifically, MPC can be utilized to privately analyze student mental health data across universities, catering to various levels of students such as undergraduates, graduate students, and doctoral students. This is just one crucial use case that we believe our solution or platform can effectively address. It can be utilized by Campus Health to access course structures, mental health resources, and other relevant factors.

• Chandramouli Velicheti
• Amrut Dagade
• Nishitha Bottu Ramakanthchowdary
• Anirudh Patil

The SILS Data Management Gamification team presents “Data Voyage”, an innovative approach to teaching Data Management and Sharing to a broad audience within the UNC Research community. Our practicum sponsor, the Research Data Management Core (RDMC) at UNC, proposed creating a video game as a fun way to teach Data Management and Sharing best practices. As part of our practicum work, we have conducted user research, designed and coded the game using Figma and GameMaker Studio. The design of our game is heavily inspired by retro educational games from the ’70s and ’80s to give it a nostalgic feel and features a space theme in which the player must collect the pieces of a rocketship, representing the six parts of a data management plan according to the NIH. Our deliverable package includes a game prototype, a Data Management Plan (DMP), and a Game Design Document (GDD). Our game code is public on GitHub at https://github.com/uncch-rdmc/dmgame.

• Grayson Yount
• Avianna Wooten
• Jessie Meager
• Joshi Ramya Teja Battula

We present a novel self-supervised multi-modal deep learning framework for 2D-to-3D alignment. 2D-to-3D feature alignment model is designed for downstream medical imaging tasks like 2D-to-3D registration, and single-view and multi-view reconstruction. Our method estimates the spatial transformation between a patient’s 3D CT volume and multiple intra-operative 2D X-ray images. The key innovation is pre-training the network for the alignment of the features extracted from 2D images and the features extracted from 3D volume so that 2D X-ray feature representations better match those derived from 3D CT volumes. This allows our model to extract more complete features from the sparse 2D projection images. By exploiting spatial information within the 2D X-rays, the model learns to correctly estimate 3D transformations solely from X-ray content. Thus, pre-training the feature extractor enhances the information extracted from 2D images. This in turn enables more robust 2D-to-3D deformable registration performance and reconstruction accuracy. In summary, we demonstrate an effective pre-training strategy to optimize feature learning from 2D X-rays. Our self-supervised approach extracts maximally useful features from limited 2D X-ray images without the need for fully annotated 3D CT data. Our model provides a promising new framework for multi-modal 2D-3D pre-training in medical imaging.

• Zhaoxi Zhang
• Yueliang Ying

WiderNet is a nonprofit organization that promotes education in underserved areas of the world. Their main product is the “eGranary” which is an offline server that provides access to thousands of educational materials and website copies to places without reliable internet connections. WiderNet has collected thousands of photographs from around the world for the organization. These photos need to be managed in an effective way in order to provide better access and organization to both the end user and WiderNet more generally. The WiderNet Photo Gallery Project is fundamentally a research project that will explore and experiment with different methods in keyword tagging, metadata application, and collection management to refine a large digital photo gallery that is accessible online and offline with the ability for users to attach relevant metadata.

• Matthew Christian

Our client Cornerstone started out as CyberU, providing online corporate training and adult education, but eventually shifted its focus to human resources software. Now that Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. is a pioneer in the field of cloud-based talent development software, we are honored to have the opportunity to work with it to solve its key challenge as an online content aggregator. Content providers faced a pressing problem – the lack of an efficient metadata management system. This shortcoming led to inconsistencies and inaccuracies that ultimately impacted the end user’s ability to seamlessly navigate and engage with the platform’s content.

• Luyao Pei
• Ye Liu
• Wenyi You
• Xinyu Peng