Art and Design Commons^™

Between The Lines: Children’S Literature And The Disney Theme Parks, Michaela Karis

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

Though the Disney theme parks are a common subject of academic analysis, relatively little research has approached the parks from a literary perspective. In this paper, I apply a theory of children’s literature to the Disney parks. By tracing the similarities between the parks and children’s texts, including their use of a “double” level of address, their focus on oppositional binaries, and their deliberate elision of “adult” elements, I demonstrate how the parks legitimize themselves as both childlike and child-appropriate spaces.

Evaluating Perspectives Of Virtual And Mixed Reality For The Performing Arts In The U.S. And Canada, Collin Huse

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

What are the current trends of virtual and mixed reality in the performing arts? In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of academics and professionals in the performing arts who are using virtual and mixed reality. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the themes that emerged over the course of the interviews. This study found that this technology is already fitting into entertainment within both the performance aspect and the design process. Many challenges exist for innovators in AR/VR such as lack of common knowledge, lack of structure needed for innovation, and difficulty finding financial backing. …

Physical And Digital Architecture For Collection And Analysis Of Imparted Accelerations On Zip Line Attractions, Kai David Quizona, Shelly Sicat, Nicholas Holman, Madison Glozer, Alan Black, Alex Ferworn, Kathryn Woodcock

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

The accelerations experienced by riders of Zip Line attractions is an underexplored area of public safety assurance. These amusement devices require complex processes to collect and analyze acceleration data. Highly versatile and effective rider-worn and ride-carried devices are necessary to collect acceleration and velocity data without affecting the integrity of the ride. This paper introduces the use of a sensor device for collecting Zip Line acceleration data in the form of a Trailing Trolley. This architecture extends the work of Sicat et. al.’s which proposed the use of a Sensor Vest and Headwear to collect linear and rotational accelerations of …

Dark Rides And The Evolution Of Immersive Media, Joel Zika

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

The dark ride is a format of immersive media that originated in the amusement parks of the USA in the early 20th century. Whilst their numbers have decreased, classic rides from the 1930s to the 70s, such as the Ghost Train and Haunted House experiences have been referenced is films, games and novels of the digital era. Although the format is well known, it is not well defined. There are no dedicated publications on the topic and its links to other media discourses are sparsely documented. Today, entertainment media is utilising technology extensively to create immersive experiences for audiences, transporting …

Disability And Participation In Amusement Attractions, Kathryn Woodcock

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

Eligibility to participate on an amusement attraction may be limited for patrons with certain characteristics, including size, age, disability, and health conditions. Human rights and equal access laws increasingly mandate the inclusion of people with disabilities in as many activities as possible, although safety is an accepted basis for exemption. This paper reports on practices and evidence pertaining to eligibility and safety of patrons with disabilities, including a content analysis of status quo criteria from 100 amusement ride manufacturers’ manuals and prevalence of references to disability in reports of serious and fatal injury. The analysis found that restrictive criteria exclude …

Leveraging Neo-Localism For Experience Innovation: A Case Study Of An Urban Park And Entertainment Venue, Lori J. Sipe

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

In the past decade, spending on experiences relative to other types of consumer spending has increased dramatically. Companies with an experience economy mindset focus on differentiation as opposed to standardization and rely on innovation activities for growth. This design research project examined how an urban park and entertainment venue leveraged its unique brand and core experience to design and innovate memorable guest experiences. The Quartyard study integrated key concepts of experience economy logic and memorable tourism experiences with principles of human centered design. Interviews were conducted with key stakeholders to include the architects, general manager, members of the local business …

Roller Coaster Dynamics At Purdue University, Jeffrey F. Rhoads, Charles M. Krousgrill

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

Inspired by a handful of passionate students, in the fall of 2009, the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University offered a new course entitled Roller Coaster Dynamics. Little did the instructors of the course (the co- authors of this paper) know, but that course and the many variants that followed would have a marked impact on students and instructors alike, prepping scores of civil and mechanical engineering students for careers in the themed entertainment and amusement attraction industry and opening up new avenues for technical exploration in the areas of nonlinear and multi-body dynamics. This paper adopts a balanced …

Soft Skills With Teeth: Creating Authentic Learning Environments With Charismatic Mega-Projects, J .E. Johnson, Karen Maness

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

In every industry, effective teams depend upon a collection of non-technical competencies often described as soft skills: leadership, verbal and written communication, collaboration, analytical thinking, creativity, decision-making, problem-solving, and flexibility. Though the importance of soft skills is widely acknowledged, soft skills curricula are either non-existent or underdeveloped in most universities. This soft skills training gap leaves students under- prepared and often over-confident as they enter the workforce. In response to this gap in our department at The University of Texas at Austin, we defined and implemented an emergent, project-based pedagogical framework to recruit an interdisciplinary roster of students and deliver …

Summary Of Exploring A Three-Dimensional Narrative Medium: The Theme Park As “De Sprookjessprokkelaar,” The Gatherer And Teller Of Stories, Carissa Baker

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

This paper presents a summary of the author’s doctoral dissertation, which examines the pervasiveness of storytelling in theme parks and establishes the theme park as a distinct narrative medium. It traces the characteristics of theme park storytelling, how it has changed over time, and what makes the medium unique. This was accomplished using a mixed methods approach drawing data from interviews with creative professionals, archival research, fieldwork, and an analysis of more than eight hundred narrative attractions. The survey of narrative attractions revealed the most common narrative expressions to be dark rides and stage shows. Source material tends to be …

United Families Through Interior Design, Marissa Heintz

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the current problems and support systems within the foster care system and how it could be improved upon. It studies the removal process of children from a hurtful home, the common reasons for placement within foster care, what some of the major problems within foster care are based surveys and existing research. Furthermore, this study seeks to understand the different perspectives of those involved in foster care including; biological parents, foster parents, children and social care workers. In order to better understand what would be best for all of the people involved, research also explores the effects …

Re-Purposing A Dead Mall Into An Art And Innovation Center, Veronika Gaska

Honors Theses

Many years ago, when the shopping industry was booming, shopping malls were being built one after another—more than were needed to support the population. They served as a hub for all kinds of people. But with time, the focus of the retail industry shifted to the convenience of online buying instead of in-store, which contributed in the lack of demand for retail stores, running them into the ground, and leaving the malls empty. Approximately 1/3 of the 1,200 malls in America are dead or dying. With malls emptying out, the future of these buildings comes into question. Either they need …

This Is Just To Say, Iren Tete

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work

My memories are marked by the desire to evade logic. At a young age I became a proficient player of the “What If” game.

What if I could hold light in my hands?

What if shadows had form that could be touched?

What if I could see through structures?

These mental exercises affected my relationship with reason and validity. Aware of the threat of the ordinary, I embraced the inherent magic in the notion of possibility. I understand possibility as the limitless potential of object, thought, or scenario. This potential extends beyond the apparent and prompts more questions than it …

Benefits Of Doodling, Olivia Bevacqua

Honors Theses

Hello, my name is Olivia Bevacqua and my thesis is on the benefits of doodling. Doodling is something that’s really important to me as an artist and a human. I doodled growing up at lot, especially in high school. It’s something that I often do when I’m bored or when I need something to ground myself during lectures.

Growing up and into adulthood, doodling is seen as a frivolous act. Multiple studies have proven that doodling can be beneficial in many ways including relaxation, focus, and information retention. For these reasons among others, discouraging doodling during development and into adulthood …

Pamela Colman Smith: The Untold Story By Stuart R. Kaplan With Mary K. Greer, Elizabeth Foley O'Connor, And Melinda Boyd Parsons, Emily E. Auger

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

No abstract provided.

The Artist Behind The Cover Art: An Interview With Tiffany Day, Tiffany Day

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

No abstract provided.

Caddo Inspired Coil Pots, Jordan Weaver

Undergraduate Research Conference

When my bosses, John Handley and Alisa Steed, asked me to plan an educational program to go along with the upcoming Contemporary Caddo art show at the Cole Art Center I knew I wanted to find an art lesson to teach children. Creating is a great way to teach children about history because it invites them to take an active role in their education, rather than passively listening. After learning that traditional Caddo potters created coil pots out of clay, I knew I wanted to teach this art form to children in the community. Making coil pots requires children to …

Exploration Of Gender Portrayals In Marvel Comics, Chiagozie Nwasuruba

Undergraduate Research Conference

Comic books have been a major part of American pop culture since around the 1930s. These comic books depicted ordinary people who, through some sort of accident or happenstance, gained superpowers. People who could lift cars over their heads or leap over buildings in a single bound. Comic books have a long history. The history of comics is divided into six ages: the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, the Plastic Age, the Revival Age, and the present. There have been many different comic book companies over the years, but at the forefront of comic book culture, there …

The Artist Residency And Lumen Printing, Austin Cullen

Undergraduate Research Conference

The artist residency is a critical and informative experience that is privileged to few, and revered by many. Creating work in a completely foreign environment can yield beautiful and new work that the artists could have never conceived of making. Artwork could be made about anything, but choosing a specific subject matter, or theme, can be very challenging. This difficulty arises from lack of knowledge, experience, or most importantly, being bored with one's surroundings. Artist residencies, often being in other countries and always providing a new atmosphere, can be a great way to jumpstart new artwork. Residencies are incredibly difficult …

5 X 5: Conceptual And Technical Challenge, Madeline Castillo

Undergraduate Research Conference

Goals for the Week to Week Project

As an undergraduate student pursuing a BFA, the apotheosis of my education is to find and develop the content for my art and convey it in the form of my capstone BFA exhibition. My creative research for this project consisted of building a finished work of art each week during a five-week time period. The intent of the project was to expedite concept development and increase my personal technical speed while focusing on craftsmanship and design. Having seven days to respond to a content prompt, I was challenged to focus on creating without …

Innovator - Spring 2019

Innovator

8 - A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

10 - WHAT’S HAPPENING AT JEFFERSON?

16 - OUR STRATEGIC ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK Jefferson is dedicated to improving lives by redefining humanly possible.

18 - THE BOY FROM BROOKLYN Noted alumnus Harold Ronson leaves his mark on Jefferson.

24 - WE DESIGN THINKING The University has developed a world-class reputation for graduating designers with a demonstrated capacity for developing robust solutions for real-world problems.

30 - UNLEASHING CREATIVITY Provost Mark L. Tykocinski, MD, describes the exciting and productive intersections explored at Jefferson.

32 - AN EVOLUTION ROOTED IN EMPATHY Two industry experts and educators …