Video and sports projects receive NKU grants

Student-driven video and sports projects have received grant funding through NKU’s Informatics+ center, officials announced via email today. The projects, Science Around Cincy and the Know Rivalry Project, were funded to connect students with regional initiatives and provide them with real-world learning experiences. 

According to the email, the Informatics+ selection committee received seven applications across four colleges on campus, which requested a total amount of approximately $70,000. Two of those projects have been selected to receive a non-disclosed amount of funding.

The Science Around Cincy project is a public television series that spotlights local scientists and their work. It is produced by OutSCIder Productions in collaboration with the Hamilton County Educational Service Center. A team of NKU students, led by senior lecturer in electronic and media broadcasting John Gibson, will work on the video production side of the project. 

The series aims to “raise awareness around STEM careers while showcasing local initiatives, institutions and attractions around Greater Cincinnati,” according to the email.

The Know Rivalry Project measures and analyzes the global phenomenon of sports rivalry. Students in the Haile/US Bank College of Business have spent the last six years collecting and analyzing survey data from sports fans in the United States and Canada. 

According to school officials, this grant allows the business students to collect surveys from fans in Australia, England and India and analyze the data. Dr. Joe Cobbs, professor of sports business and event management, partnered with Dr. Marius Truta, professor of computer science, to create the project.

“These are exciting projects,” said Kendall Fisher, executive director of Informatics+. “Students will be able to apply their informatics knowledge and creativity outside the classroom in new and meaningful ways.”

Informatics+ was launched in November 2019 to connect NKU’s informatics talent with the region’s needs, which include providing solutions to local business issues through student-driven work. The center supports community collaborations across the region, including the new Kroger Technology & Digital Innovation Lab on campus and coordinating NKU’s efforts as part of a five-county regional tourism initiative centered on the Commonwealth’s first bourbon journey.

Updates on the projects will be shared on the Informatics+ website. A call for a second round of proposals will be announced in the fall. To learn more, visit this webpage.