Kun Xu Named New Director of UFCJC Media Effects and Technology Lab and Research Lab

Kun Xu, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Media Production Management and Technology (MPMT) associate professor in emerging technologies, has been named the new director of the Media Effects and Technology Lab (METL) and UFCJC Research Lab.

As director, Kun will supervise the space and shape a new vision for media effects and technology research. The lab, which has been focused primarily on virtual and augmented reality, will expand its scope to include more AI-related research, including social robots, virtual agents, large language models, and other technologies.

Kun will support faculty research in the lab, as well as continue his own emerging-technology research.

Kun joined UFCJC in 2019 and brought with him expertise in AI, human-computer interaction, human-robot interaction, and media psychology.  He was recently granted tenure and promoted to associate professor. In October, he was named to Stanford’s Top 2% Scientists List.

The lab is now located in Weimer 3219 and provides three distinct areas for research: a computer lab with 10 stations, a living room for observation, and the METL office. This collaborative research space is available for use by UFCJC faculty, staff and graduate students.

METL was originally founded in 2014 by former Journalism Professor Sri Kalyanaraman with preeminence funds from the UF Office of Research.

Posted: November 18, 2024
Category: AI at CJC News, College News
Tagged as: Kun Xu, Media Effects and Technology Lab, Research