I hope you guys are still excited about the Mobile Media Scholars program I have been telling you about. All the NMI staff is stoked and ready to go. And in our discussion with potential industry partners they are very interested in moving forward. This email contains some more information about the program and, most importantly, tells you how (and when) to apply. If you have any questions that aren’t answered in this email or on the webpage, email me right away and I will try to answer it.

Here is the information covered in this email.

1) Where is information about the MMScholars online?
2) Why such a tough application process?
3) Do I have to do study abroad in the summer to participate?
4) What if the Fall MMScholar class won’t work in my schedule?
5) Why is that stuff about Intellectual Property important?
6) Why should I go through all this hard work?

1. Where is information about the MMScholars online?

You can find all the details about the MMScholars program online at

http://www.nmi.uga.edu/mmrl/scholar

2. Why such a tough application process?

Yeah, the application process takes a little work. Why? Because we need a very special group of students to make this program work. The charter class of Mobile Media Scholars will determine how successful the program is in the future. We have to know that the people we select can do the work. Now you are probably thinking, “The NMI already knows me. Why should I have to go through all this?” Sure we already know you – but we want to be able to show other parties how rigorous our selection process is so they know we selected you because you were great – not just because we know you. So it is hard. But it is worth it.

3. Do I have to do study abroad in the summer to participate?

We think the GlobalMobile portion of the Mobile Media Scholars program will be very valuable – and will position you even more strongly in the mobile media field. But we are still working out the details now – it wouldn’t be fair to ask you to commit to something that wasn’t totally finalized. So it is not required for the current class of Mobile Media Scholars – but it might be in the future.

4. What if the Fall MMScholar class won’t work in my schedule?

We have deliberately picked a class time for Fall 04 that would have the minimum number of class conflicts – Wednesday 9:00A - 12:00P. If that is a conflict for you, let me know. We might be able to work something out – but we have to be realistic. There is no perfect time and we might have to use that time slot. 

5. Why is that stuff about Intellectual Property important?

I know, the Intellectual Property stuff sounds scary. But it shouldn’t. We are building something called the Mobile Media Research Lab to facilitate our work in the wireless and mobile media space. This lab will be an industry/academic partnership – in other words, we are going to sell sponsors. Bottom line, it is these sponsorships which will give us the resources to do the Mobile Media Scholars and a lot of other stuff. But when you get students, industry, and the University working together, you have to make things very clear up front. That is why we have a state policy that any inventions (or stuff like that) performed in the Mobile Media Research Lab and in the Mobile Media has to belong to UGA. If we didn’t, it would be a nightmare to sort out who did what and what belonged to whom. Now that doesn’t mean that you would give up all your rights. Let’s say that one of the teams came up with something really innovative – something that could be patented maybe. In that case, the University would work out a deal with everyone involved. UGA would pay to patent and do all the legal work if they thought it was valuable enough. Then they would help in licensing the technology. Then, if all that came to pass, all parties involved would be compensated via royalties. So the system really will work to all of our advantages.

We will talk about this more. And if you are selected as a MMScholar, you will have to sign appropriate paperwork. But please feel free to ask me more about this. This is the first time we have tried something like this. We can use your input to make the program better.

6. Why should I go through all this hard work?

Man, the MMScholars program sounds like a lot of hard work, right? Dang straight it is. Why? We have a vision for this program. Mobile Media is very new – the industry is just starting out. We envision this program training the first generation of leadership for this new industry sector. Industry leadership is something you have to work hard to be ready for. Are you ready to work hard?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scott A. Shamp
Director
New Media Institute
Grady College
University of Georgia

v. 706.227.7237
e. sshamp@uga.edu
f. 706.227.7236

110 E. Clayton St., 5th Floor
Athens, GA 30601