Social Technology and Research (S.T.A.R.) Lab

A   critical   component   of   a   world-class   business   education   is   the   infusion   of   project-based,   experiential   learning   designed   to help   students   develop   crucial   skills   to   succeed   in   business   today.   When   students   are   given   opportunities   to   apply   lessons   to real-world   situations,   they   graduate   as   capable   professionals   who   understand   how   to   immediately   create   impact   in   their organizations. In   response,   the   Social   Technology   and   Research   (S.T.A.R.)   Lab   has   been   created   as   an   immersive   playground   where   the latest   technology   in   social   media   and   marketing   is   used   by   faculty,   students,   and   the   business   community   to   develop innovative   solutions   for   the   real-world   challenges   of   local   and   national   partners.   MarTech   gets   marketers   closer   to   the consumer but has been missing in higher education. Until now . In   this   space   at   the   Chambers   College   of   Business,   students,   faculty,   and   the   WVU   community   can   utilize   current   and emerging   technologies   for   public   outreach,   R1-level   research,   product   development,   and   superior   student   engagement.   The Lab   showcases   marketing   expertise   in   analytics,   social   media,   search   engine   marketing   (advertising   and   SEO),   inbound marketing,   mobile,   and   design.   Importantly,   the   Lab’s   co-created   social   content   is   on   full   display   through   the   sizeable livestream feed that greets all students, staff, and visitors who enter Reynolds Hall from WVU’s iconic PRT system. How will this lab benefit students in NEW ways? The   STAR   Lab   offers   students   the   ability   to   become   involved   in   their   learning   intellectually,   emotionally,   and-   equally   as important,   physically.   In   response,   the   Lab   offers   students   a   learn-by-doing   approach   with   the   important   distinction   of providing   access   to   current   and   emerging   marketing   technologies.   They   will have   access   to   learn   and   use   technologies   that   were   previously   unavailable. Indeed,   the   Chambers   College   marketing   curriculum   and   course   offerings have   been   updated   to   reflect   many   of   these   important   changes   (e.g.,   MKTG- 389:     Online     Marketing     Analytics;     MKTG-435:     AI     Impact     on     Marketing). Students   involved   with   this   Lab   will   be   able   to   graduate   with   the   experiences, certifications,   and   knowledge   that   peers   at   most   other   institutions   lack.   Their powered-up   resumes   coupled   with   their   in-depth   MarTech   experiences   will give students the confidence they need to get the top jobs they deserve. What is the VISION for the STAR Lab? The   vision   for   the   STAR   Lab   includes   collaboration   between   the   stakeholders you   may   expect,   namely   students,   faculty,   our   local   business   community,   and corporate   partners.   However,   we   also   anticipate   working   with   tech   providers, developers,     policy     makers,     and     social     marketers     (e.g.,     Transformative Consumer   Research ,   Twitter   for   Good).   This   union   between   technology   and purpose   will   create   a   space   that’s   exciting   yet   challenging.   This   Lab   space   should   provoke   everyone   involved   to   push boundaries   that   place   us   firmly   outside   of   our   comfort   zones.   It   should   include   courses,   events,   competitions,   and   a   variety of   other   programming   (e.g.,   workshops).   With   a   prominent   location   in   Reynold’s   Hall,   passers-by   will   stop   to   gaze   through the Lab’s glass wall and feel drawn to content and activity inside. What makes the STAR Lab UNIQUE when compared to other universities? Overall,   the   people   (e.g.,   the   inventor   of   AI-Writer ,   a   content   generation   platform   powered   by   artificial   intelligence),   the projects   (e.g.,   substantive   marketing   questions,   including   online   safety   &   privacy ),   and   the   technology   (e.g.,   CRM   software, SMM   tools)   make   the   STAR   Lab   unique   in   comparison   to   lab   spaces   at   peer/aspirant   colleges   and   universities.   While   there are   a   few   tech-related   lab   spaces   at   other   institutions,   there   are   even fewer   that   are   included   in   business   schools.   Of   those   lab   spaces   at   other schools   that   include   technology,   few   (if   any)   are   dedicated   exclusively   to MarTech.   The   STAR   Lab   includes   a   marketing   science   orientation,   unlike other    tech-related    labs    managed    or    led    by    computer    science    (CS)    or information   science   (IS)   faculty.   Additionally,   the   Lab’s   co-created   social content   is   promoted   through   a   sizeable   livestream   that   is   visible   at   all times.   While   such   live   feeds   are   already   used   by   marketing   practitioners (e.g.,   Southwest   Airlines’   Social   Media   Listening   Center),   its   inclusion   in   the STAR Lab will showcase WVU as a leader in higher education. What is MarTech CRUCIAL in today’s business environment? MarTech    is    crucial    in    today’s    business    environment    because    it    gets marketers   closer   to   the   consumer.   Such   technology   offers   improved   CX (customer   experience)   through   online   and   offline   (e.g.,   retail)   channels. For   example,   consumers   gain   a   personalized   shopping   experience   (e.g., location-based   services),   marketers   gain   targeted   insight   (e.g.,   in-market   audiences),   and   businesses   create   better   and   more sustainable relationships (e.g., semantic understanding capabilities). What is the lab’s LIVESTREAMED content? The   information   livestreamed   in   the   STAR   Lab   includes   text   and   media-based   content.   Examples   may   include   social   media marketing   content   (Instagram   posts),   search   ads   (Google   Ads),   display   ads   (YouTube   videos),   ad   copy   (including   AI-powered text/imagery),   and   analytics   (Data   Studio   output,   SEO/PPC/CRO   metrics).   The   collection   of   monitors   located   on   the   Lab’s primary wall may include each of these examples separately or as a single (larger) livestream.  Is the STAR Lab used mostly for SOCIAL MEDIA? This   Lab   is   not   a   social   media   lab.   Instead,   it   is   a   space   for   the   larger context of social technology. Lab users learn about the following: • Content    Creation    (written,    visual,    and    audio;    e.g.,    AI-Writer, YouTube, TikTok, Murf.ai) • G-suite   Software   Tools   (e.g.,   Google   Ads,   AI,   Analytics,   Data   Studio, Google My Business) • Search    Engine    Marketing    (SERPs,    snippets,    local    SEO,    pay-per- click advertising) • Social     Media     Marketing     (i.e.,     using     Hootsuite,     Analytics     for Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube) • E-commerce (e.g., Spotify, WIX) • Email Marketing (e.g., MailChimp) • Influencer Marketing (e.g., Famebit) and much more!