UFOs: Media and Mental Models

How might movies and TV shows influence the mental models we have around UFO encounters? In the Mythcast season finale, students Jolee Edge and Austin Hostetter discuss their favorite alien movies and the character tropes they employ. Using empathy research and transmedia storytelling they deconstruct mental models established around UFOs.

How might mental models influence our perceptions of the mythical and monstrous, like UFO encounters? Students Jolee Edge and Austin Hostetter break down what a mental model is, and how one person’s UFO encounter demonstrates how our understanding of aliens is shaped by preconceived ideas.

How might we know whether a super suit is really super? In this episode, Deborah Ojo and Kailey Fugate recover from The Blip to don suits of power, and investigate with heuristics expert Dr. Hazel how usable those suits might really be.

How might transmedia storytelling theories describe the interdimensional storyworlds that blend and interact throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Transmedia storytellers Kailey Fugate and Deborah Ojo explore MCU transmedia extensions like WandaVision, and the clashes between the Marvel and DC superhero universes.

Where might we find the Horcruxes of Emerging Media Design and Development? In the wizarding world, a Horcrux is a powerful object in which a dark wizard or witch has hidden a fragment of his or her soul in pursuit of immortality. Transmedia storytellers Nicole Nimri and Staci Seber explore the seven Horcruxes that EMDD students encounter during their time in the two-year master's program. Find out which of these Horcruxes might endure after graduation from the EMDD program…

How might we use design thinking methods to choose the perfect wand? In this episode of EMDD’s Mythcast, design thinking researchers Staci Seber and Nicole Nimri discuss how we could use design thinking to find the perfect wand. We also speak with Hufflepuffs, Kailey Fugate and Jolee Edge, on how they’d design their dream wand. It’s not Olivander’s, but it’s the next best thing.

How might we solve some of the issues faced by Westerosians? Design thinking researchers Aidan McBride and Rex Huffman discuss how Tyrion kills his father and speak with Qyburn about his design process for the Scorpion in this segment of "Dose of Westeros," the highest-rated talk radio show serving the Seven Kingdoms.

How might we have a better king of Westeros? Listen in as transmedia storytellers Rex Huffman and Aidan McBride use their stratgic communication thinking to determine who *should* have been king at the finale of the Game of Thrones streaming series…

How might we use transmedia storytelling techniques to fix a problematic episode of Stranger Things? Center for Emerging Media Design & Development transmedia storytellers Austin Hostetter and Staci Seber put their analytical skills to use on the backstory of key character Eleven, looking for ways to make the storytelling more innovative.

How might we train a demodog? This adolescent form of demogorgon from the Stranger Things storyworld proves to be a compelling (and troublesome) challenge for students at the Center for Emerging Media Design & Development. Listen to how they apply design thinking and usability research to (hypothetically, anyway) train one. They get some important help from zoo keepers and wolf-dog owners.