AWaRE REU Students experiment with spectrum influencing on social media

Over the summer, three students in SpectrumX and Notre Dame Wireless Institute’s AWaRE REU program took the initiative to outline, design, and launch a social media campaign producing video content to introduce new audiences to radio spectrum sciences.

The students experimented with different social media platforms and content formats to find their target audiences.

Students:

• Jincy Njenga, undergraduate at the University of Maryland, studying information systems
• Raghad Elgamal, undergraduate at the University of Texas San Antonio, studying computer science
• Sebastian Pirela, undergraduate at Purdue University, studying electrical engineering

The content, created outside of their summer research and projects, was an important exercise in science communications, utilizing their skills as the rising scientists themselves. The students crafted a written social media strategy guide for how they would proceed with different platforms, content types they would explore, and what types of topics they would address.

There are currently six videos available on the trio’s Instagram account @rfspectrum, with features ranging from educating on what the radio spectrum is and how it is used, to showcasing Nick Laneman, SpectrumX center director, discussing his work and why spectrum research is critical to fund and continue.

(Story credit: Christina Clark)