Media & Communication Research Initiative

Program Information

The Media and Communication Research Initiative at Cal Poly (MC-Cal Poly) is a program designed to provide financial support and encouragement for students who plan to present original class research projects at academic conferences. In this program, students will have the opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor throughout the process of submitting a research paper and preparing a presentation at an academic conference. 

Program Benefits

Students who are accepted into MC-Cal Poly will receive the following unique benefits for participating in the program: 

  • Receive up to $500-$1,000 in funding (per project) for destination conferences
  • Receive coaching, support, and resources to help design a presentation
  • Share the results of class projects with scholarly communities
  • Build your resume with an academic conference experience
  • Work closely with a faculty member to develop your research
  • Qualify for potential academic research awards

Student Qualifications

To apply for funding and participation in the MC-Cal Poly Program, students need to meet the following requirements.

  • Upper-division status at Cal Poly during the year of program participation 
  • 3.0 or above overall GPA
  • Coursework in research-oriented topics completed or in progress (see FAQ)
  • Interest in presenting original research in media & communication studies 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

To find out more about the program, qualifications, conferences, and timeline information, please visit our FAQ page. 

How To Apply 

To apply for the program, complete the following steps specified in the instructions below: 

  1. First, brainstorm your previous/current projects that you have been involved with that may be a good fit for a conference presentation.
    • For example, the following classes often involve class projects:
    • COMS 312, COMS 384, COMS 400, COMS 404, COMS 461, GRC 301, GRC 44, GRC 462. 
  2. Second, fill out the MC-Cal Poly Interest Form to apply by the due date:
    • Fall deadline - September 30
    • Summer deadline - June 30

Faculty Mentors

 

Name

Department

Email
Dr. Aubrie Adams Communication Studies (COMS) aadams45@calpoly.edu
Dr. Hocheol Yang Graphic Communication (GRC) hyang25@calpoly.edu

Past Projects

The following students & alumni previously received funding from MC-Cal Poly to present their projects at destination conferences. 

2021-2022 Cohort

  • Mackenzie Demay presented: History of Hatred: A Media Analysis and Social Examination of the Film The Hate U Give @ The Western States Communication Association, Portland, Oregon, 2022 (Undergraduate Section). 
  • Barrett Lo presented: When Toxic is Typical: Prevalence and Effects of Toxicity in Rainbow Six Siege @ The Western States Communication Association, Portland, Oregon, 2022 (Undergraduate Section). 
  • Chelsie Lui presented: Cultivating Problematic Stereotypes of Asian Americans: Representations of Helicopter Parenting in Fresh off the Boat @ the Western States Communication Association, Portland, Oregon, 2022 (Top 4 Paper of the Media Division).  
  • Berkly Hargon presented a collaborative project: The Effect of Social Media Messages on Interpersonal Attraction, Judgement, and Wholesomeness @ The Western States Communication Association, Portland, Oregon, 2022 (Undergraduate Section). 
  • Delaney Hulshof presented a collaborative project: The Effect of Social Media Messages on Interpersonal Attraction, Judgement, and Wholesomeness @ The Western States Communication Association, Portland, Oregon, 2022 (Undergraduate Section). 
  • Corey Quillen presented a collaborative project: The Effect of Social Media Messages on Interpersonal Attraction, Judgement, and Wholesomeness @ The Western States Communication Association, Portland, Oregon, 2022 (Undergraduate Section). 
  • Victor Ortiz presented: Portrayals of Mental Health in Video Games: A Content Analysis Examining Celeste & Hellblade @ The Western States Communication Association, Portland, Oregon, 2022 (Media Division). 
  • Matia Mathes presented: Comparing the Effectiveness of Visuals in Medical Education Instruction @ The International Communication Association, Paris, France, 2022

Program Funding Providers

Funding for the Media & Communication Research Initiative is provided by Instructional Related Activities (IRA) at Cal Poly. 

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