The Edward A. Walsh Digital Media Laboratory

The Lab:

Founded in 1997 in response to an increasingly tech-based society, the Edward A. Walsh Digital Media Laboratory is an ideal location for any budding multimedia enthusiast. The workshop is home to a classroom for group instruction, in such fields as video production and online journalism, a workroom for individualized projects, and production space, all of which are located on the third floor of Faculty Memorial Hall.

The Staff:

Edward Wachtel is both an Associate Professor and Founding Director of the Media Lab. In addition to overseeing daily operations, Professor Wachtel instructs a course in Video Production, in which students develop, produce, and present their own short films. I have personally taken the class, and found it to be a fascinating exploration of what it means to create a motion picture.

Ed Wachtel

Hopeton Campbell, Technical Supervisor and adjunct professor, is responsible for facilitating the hiring and training of student workers, managing laboratory servers, and assisting in the use of equipment and software, all the while instructing a course in Digital Media. 

Hopeton Campbell

Each individual is often praised for their depth of knowledge and ability to aid students, an account I can confirm. 

The Equipment:

Individuals are able to make use of an extensive variety of media oriented software, including Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, and Acrobat, each of which can be found on laboratory computers. In addition, high-definition camera kits are available to anyone currently enrolled in a Video Production course

I am quite fond of the lab, as both a student and employee. It provides an outlet for undergraduates to examine aspects of media culture they may otherwise not have access to. Moreover, the hands on approach taken by professors renders instruction not only painless, but pleasurable. Accordingly, it is in my opinion that everyone should explore The Lab, whether for class or otherwise, as they may stumble upon a new hobby, or potential profession.

Written by Shane Yelicanin