Faculty Resources
How to Make Content Happen for Your Class or Research Project:
After considering what works best for your class and contacting the director regarding feasibility, be sure to reserve times for your class to meet in the Luminary.
“Spotlight” in the World Museum program
Rating: easy
Features: curate, tag, zoom & pan, globe, timeline, mini-exhibits, group exercises, brainstorming
How to use: classes exploring topics or themes related to course content or research project assignments
What’s provided: Spreadsheet template and list of useful sites
Timeline: 3-4 weeks for current museum APIs (The Met, Rijksmuseum, and Cleveland Museum of Art), add 2 weeks for uploading new assets (number may be limited due to resources)
Static Wall Installation and Video Wall Installation
Rating: easy, do-it-yourself
Features: Storytelling exhibition walls, can be combined with a video wall using stereo speakers
How to use: Suitable for class projects, including individual student or group presentations on research projects. Also, singular events or receptions using proprietary content.
What’s provided: Wall templates in Google Slides and Illustrator, as well as specs for other software. Helpful to have a proficient graphic designer on staff or in the class who can use Illustrator or Canva. One can be provided with adequate planning.
Timeline: at least 4-6 weeks in advance to view models and/or drafts, 1 week before class to test full display. Video walls need testing at least 2 weeks in advance.
Interactive Posters
Rating: easy
Features: 18 panels with framed zoomable windows, including up to three videos with audio.
How to use: Submit completed .pdf or .png posters for mounting in the display shell with titles and author names. Suitable for class projects, individual presentations, or conference sessions. (If related to a conference, then additional space may need to be reserved through the department of Art, Design, and Visual Studies).
What’s provided: Spreadsheet template for titles, names, and filenames with links. Specifications for size, font, formats. The Luminary’s graphic design team will load into the prefabricated shell. Helpful to have a staff person who can use Google Suite to organize spreadsheets and upload files. The Luminary staff is not responsible for tracking submissions.
Timeline: at least 6 weeks notice, final posters due 1-2 weeks in advance.
Interactive Research Exhibition
Rating: difficult
Features: Unified three-wall gallery space with touch-interactive “kiosks” designed for quality assets provided by the client. Multiple assets can be included, as well as video and 3D models.
How to use: Customize learning activities and interactive storytelling sequences across the three-walled gallery space. Such exhibitions are great for culminating or ongoing research programs, and for recurring or iterative events that correspond with partners on campus or in the community.
What’s provided: Google Sheet template for organizing and submitting assets, Google Slides templates for drafting layout, reference materials on designing exhibitions. The Luminary’s graphic design team will load into the interface program and complete the design process. Helpful to have a staff person who can use Google Suite and edit with Photoshop. Additional artwork, like pop-up maps or licensed images, may incur additional charges.
Timeline: Following a demonstration and consultation, expect at least 12 weeks preparation, and multi-day run of at least 2 hours per day, for which docents may be needed.
Animation, Audio Visualization, Data Visualization
Rating: ranges in difficulty
Features: Tap into the immersive 270-degree power of 10K lumens and 7.1 surround sound.
How to use: Essential tools are in development for 360-degree imagery, video, and touch response. Users have had success with Unity and TouchDesigner for responsive audio-visualizers.
What’s provided: space specifications provided; hardware/software specifications provided upon request. Unity and basic UnReal Engine are installed; TouchDesigner must be provided by the client. Client provides programming, although a list of knowledgeable users can be requested for kits and templates. Likewise, the Luminary retains resulting installations for future demonstrations.
Timeline: “Mondays are Tech-Days” means that the Luminary is closed to the public for testing software developments. Reservations for at least two hours of testing must be verified at least 2-3 weeks before any event. Time for onsite composition is highly limited.
Other ways to get involved!
- See how it looks: submit to the Center for Research and Creative Activity Showcase, every April
- Develop an educational installation: join the Faculty Learning Community every two years with Center for Teaching and Learning (even years, starting in the fall semester)
- Contact the Luminary Director, Lisa Hunt, to inquire about any of the provided information, or to schedule a short demonstration and consultation about what kind of content works for you.