Located in 3021 Hemphill Hall, the SMART Lab is a collaborative research space designed for hands-on learning, applied teaching, and team-based analysis. The room includes four high-performance group workstations, a collaborative learning bar, professional research software, and equipment that supports student projects, faculty research, interviews, focus groups, presentations, and classroom use.
The space allows students and faculty to collect data, test ideas, identify patterns, and make sense of what those patterns mean. It also supports live analysis, giving classes and research teams the ability to follow traditional and social media conversations as they unfold during elections, athletic events, public debates, breaking news, and other moments when public response matters.
Please schedule a time before visiting so we can reserve the space, prepare the tools you need, and make sure the right support is available.
The SMART Lab provides access to research tools that help users collect data, analyze evidence, visualize findings, and communicate results clearly.
The SMART Lab also helps students and campus partners build stronger data and AI literacy. Visitors can learn how to ask better questions of a dataset, evaluate AI-generated output, recognize where automated tools break down, protect sensitive information, and use AI in ways that meet academic and professional expectations.
Dialsmith Perception Analyzer The SMART Lab keeps portable dial-testing equipment for focus groups, message testing, and live response sessions. Participants use a dial to register continuous reactions while watching a video, hearing a speech, reading a message, or responding to other communication materials, allowing researchers to capture audience response moment by moment.
For interviews, focus groups, presentations, remote collaboration, and classroom-supported research, the lab provides audio and video equipment that supports clear recording and participation.