From Tech Integration to Societal Impact: Highlights from GCIT Capstone Presentations

GCIT held its capstone project presentations on November 30th, 2023, attracting around 40 faculty members and students to attend. In her opening remarks, GCIT Program Director Mei-Ling Hsu said that the presentations have three goals: First, to share research findings with peers and junior students, fostering a sense of community; second, to receive feedback from domestic and international scholars to expand academic and professional horizons; and third, to ensure the originality of research through public presentation.

It was the second time the GCIT held the capstone project presentations, following the first time in June 2023. Nine students awarded the capstone project scholarships participated in the presentations, with topics ranging from the information security threats of the metaverse, analysis of public opinion and rumors on social media, to cyberbullying. Iris Chyi, a current GCIT visiting professor and a professor of the University of Texas at Austin's College of Communication, and Jacie Yang, a part-time assistant professor of the International Master's Program of International Communication, were invited to be the event's commentators.

Chyi said that the students' research topics were interesting, focusing on the intersection of cutting-edge technology and social issues. She encouraged students to start by formulating research questions worth investigating and identifying their roles in the research. Yang was impressed by the diverse research methods students used. She suggested that students clearly define and explain the concepts used in their research, especially those complex or technical terms. She also emphasized the importance of selecting a reasonable sample and a method.

GCIT encourages students to write a capstone project that addresses problems and solutions concerning media or social practice. The program also offers a capstone project scholarship for students to apply for. The capstone project presentations showcased the students' research capability in communication and innovation technology and provided a valuable opportunity for scholarly exchange. GCIT plans to continue hosting such events to promote academic and professional development, give students more opportunities to showcase themselves and establish the presentations as a program tradition.