[Noisebridge-jobs] New Media fellowships at the Exploratorium

Gian Pablo Villamil gian.pablo at gmail.com
Wed Sep 1 22:24:15 UTC 2010


Hey, this looks like it might an exciting opp for some people here.
Basically two residencies developing new media projects at the
Exploratorium, duration 11 months, stipend $33k. Fun place to work,
generally flexible. Contact info and application procedure at the end
of this mail.

http://bit.ly/nmfellow (though everything is copied below)

CALL FOR EXPLORATORIUM NEW MEDIA FELLOWSHIP APPLICANTS

The Exploratorium's New Media Studio is currently seeking applications
from recent graduates in interactive multimedia, interface design, EE,
HCI, and related fields, for two New Media Fellowships. Fellows will
join existing exhibit development teams, and acquire rare experience
creating, redesigning, evaluating and iterating robust designs in an
inventive and stimulating environment where prototype versions can be
immediately tested with large numbers of visitors of all ages. Fellows
chosen will have a blend of technical and creative abilities that
complements current museum exhibit development projects, and an
ability to harmoniously collaborate with veteran exhibit developers.


ENVIRONMENT:

The Exploratorium is a not-for-profit museum dedicated to public
understanding of science, art, and human perception.  It has pioneered
the role of museums as active teaching centers with original exhibits
and programming based on an interactive, inquiry-based approach to
learning.  It serves as an interdisciplinary resource for schools,
universities, scientists, artists and the public. Most Exploratorium
exhibits are originally-produced, first-hand experiences of physical
and perceptual phenomena; they inspire curiosity and nurture visitors'
innate, inquiry-based learning potentials.

The New Media Studio is a creative hub within the museum's Exhibit
Environments Group, connecting segments of the larger New Media
community with Exhibit Development and Visitor Research and Evaluation
staff for planned or spontaneous experimentation and collaboration.
The NMS develops ways to prototype meaningful interactive experiences
that are best realized through new media technologies; invites
post-graduate fellows for full-time residencies; and hosts guests,
events, workshops and programs to educate museum staff and the New
Media community on new tools and techniques.


ROLE OF NEW MEDIA FELLOWS AT THE EXPLORATORIUM:

Based in the New Media Studio area within the museum's Exhibit
Development shop, and receiving mentorship from experienced New Media
Exhibit Developers, Fellows will:

- Become members of one or more multi-disciplinary exhibit development
teams (composed of other developers, writers, scientists, graphic
designers, visitor research professionals and visiting advisers)
exploring particular content strands.

- Research and execute new or re-imagined versions of some classic exhibits.

- Propose and create working prototypes for new exhibit concepts.

- Develop a small seminar(s) or workshop(s) around their area of
research and expertise, fostering new connections between the New
Media Studio and the internal and external community.


EXAMPLES OF EXHIBIT CONTENT STRANDS:

- Exhibits enabling visitors to see, feel, explore and experience life
at different scales-from tiny microbes to familiar plants to complex
systems.

- Engaging visitors with automated real-time science news, through
tangible interfaces and/or physical spaces.

- Interactive data visualization of regional and global, natural and
artificial systems.

- Ways to creatively communicate what the Exploratorium experience is
about, what the building contains, what one can do here, and the
variety of content and types of exhibits.

- Mobile exhibit applications that encourage visitors to focus
attention outward (e.g. augmented reality, locative experiences) for
inquiry into the local built/urban environment.

- Leveraging emerging, multi-lingual translation tools for exhibit
interpretation, to create high-quality experiences for all visitors.

- Exploring San Francisco Bay geography, ecology, social and
environmental conditions in engaging outdoor experiences.

- Ad-hoc social relationship experiences, and concepts drawn from
social psychology.

- Psychological exhibits that establish a strong connection to
visitors as individuals and an awareness of the unique and personal
perspectives they each bring with them to the Exploratorium.


HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ABOUT THE EXPLORATORIUM AND ITS EXHIBIT
DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY:

http://www.exploratorium.edu/about/our_story/history/frank/articles/exhibit_design/index.php
http://www.exploratorium.edu/about/our_story/history/frank/articles/rationale/index.php


SUPPORT:

Fellows will receive a $33K stipend for a contiguous 11-month
residency at the museum. Non-local applicants are encouraged to apply,
although the museum will be unable to cover additional costs of travel
or accommodation.


APPLICATION DEADLINE:

Friday September 17th, 2010, or until both fellows have been selected.


DATE FELLOWSHIPS BEGIN:

We will work with each selected fellow to arrange a suitable date; as
soon as reasonably possible after the application deadline.


NOTIFICATION TO FELLOWSHIP APPLICANTS:

We will notify applicants via email on or before September 30th, 2010,
regarding whether or not they have been selected, or to communicate
any next steps in the selection process.


FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Please submit the following:

-  Basic personal and contact information

-  Resume or CV

-  Work samples, preferably in the form of URLs.  (Include a project
description with each work sample that explains your contribution to
the piece, technology employed, how it is meant to be viewed or
interacted with, and how it relates to exhibit development at the
Exploratorium.)

-  Personal statement: What motivates you? How do you like to work?
What's your collaboration style? What are you especially good at? What
excites you about the Exploratorium and any of the content strands
above? What ideas or exhibit research questions are you passionate
about pursuing? Specific exhibit proposals are not required. Please
limit the length of your statement to one page.

-  Contact information for (3) three people who know and can recommend
you (or recommendation letters from them). Two can be former
professors; internship or research project supervisors; people who
employed you while in school; or supervisors from previous full-time
employment. One recommendation should be from someone with whom you
closely collaborated on a project.


Email is the preferred method for submissions. Send to:

newmedia at exploratorium.edu
with the subject heading: "2010 New Media Fellow Application"

For physical mail, address to:

2010 New Media Fellow Application
Exploratorium, 3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(note: Physical media cannot be returned.)

We respectfully request no phone calls regarding fellowships. We will
notify applicants on or before September 30th regarding acceptance.



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