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SMART Lab

Social Media Analytics and Research Technology (SMART) Lab

At the SMART Lab, students learn to turn curiosity into credible research. The lab gives students, faculty, and campus partners a place to ask sharper questions, use professional research tools, work with data, visualize findings, and make sense of how people communicate in a changing digital world.

Located in 3021 Hemphill Hall, the SMART Lab supports research across survey design, interviews, content analysis, data visualization, social media analytics, AI literacy, and real-time public conversation monitoring. The lab helps users connect strong research questions with the right methods, tools, and evidence.

Students remain at the center of their own work. The SMART Lab provides structure, technology, and guidance while helping students build the judgment needed to conduct research responsibly, explain findings clearly, and defend their work with confidence.

Interested in becoming a student researcher?

If you are interested in becoming a student researcher or learning more about the research process, schedule a consultation with us in the SMART Lab.

SMART Lab Mission Statement

The lab’s mission is to enhance research at Radford University by;

  • providing access to state-of-the-art software programs and technology that can be used for traditional and online data analysis and visualization;
  • training faculty, staff and students to develop the skills and expertise required in today’s highly demanding social and professional environments;
  • encouraging interdisciplinary research;
  • establishing a network through which research findings that address the issues and needs of the Commonwealth are disseminated to the University and its external constituents. 
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