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2024- 2025 SPIRAL Scholars

Student Partners for Information Research and Literacy (SPIRaL)

Program Overview

Are our choices really our own when our social media feeds can be manipulated to tell us how to think, feel, and act in the world?

Information is often used to confuse and disempower individuals and communities, threatening democracy around the world. It is of vital importance to society that individuals are able to navigate today’s algorithmically mediated information environment, which exacerbates the spread and the harms of mis and disinformation. SPIRaL researches the role information literacy may play in addressing these information challenges that impact society. Undergraduate SPIRaL scholars contribute to this work as full research partners, who make decisions that determine the purpose and direction of project outcomes. They learn with and from one another as part of a scholarly community. Undergraduate SPIRaL scholars do work with lasting impact as they shape the future of the program for the next cohort of SPIRaL scholars.

Research

In the 2024-25 academic year, SPIRaL will conduct original qualitative research to study how student journalists writing for official student newspapers in the United States perceive information challenges affecting the field of journalism. This research may help identify new approaches for Libraries faculty to partner with journalists on information literacy efforts that reflect the experiences of emerging journalists and their perspectives on the future of the profession.

Twelve undergraduate SPIRaL Scholars  will conduct this research with mentors from the Institute. As partners, we will

  • explore literature from across disciplines to learn more about the role information literacy can play in addressing information challenges, including those shaping the practice of journalism
  • apply qualitative research methods, including in-depth interviews and thematic analysis,
  • determine avenues for sharing the outcomes and insights from our research with different audiences through posters, presentations, and more.

SPIRaL Scholars

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Makenzie Albert
Major: Psychological Sciences

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Shree Bavana
Majors: Business Analytics and Information Management

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Caitlyn Cai
Majors: Business Analytics and Information Management and Marketing

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Taylor Gloria Vic Graham
Majors: Statistics

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Skyler Mofle
Majors: Media and Mass Communication and Psychological Sciences

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Sophia Victoria Pimentel
Majors: Integrated Business and Engineering

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Yaajushi Valluri
Majors: Business Analytics and Information Management

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Nora Wills
Majors: English Literature and Spanish

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Harsha Basiwal
Majors: Psychology

SPIRal undergraduate research program