Frequently Asked Questions about the Science Fiction Lab:


1) What types of research take place in the SF Lab?

2) What is the finished product of your research in the SF Lab?

3) What are the goals of the SF Lab?

4) How big is the SF Lab?

5) How do I get involved in the SF Lab?

6) Can anyone (i.e., non-STAC majors) get involved in the SF Lab?

7) Do you need web designers for the SF Lab?

8) What do I get out of my work in the SF Lab?

9) Where is the SF Lab located? When does it meet? Can I sit in on a meeting?

10) What is the Bud Foote Science Fiction collection?

11) Can I donate my books, comics, or other artifacts to the Bud Foote Science Fiction Collection?




1) What types of research take place in the SF Lab?

Members of the SF Lab investigate different aspects of SF literature and film. Students identify their areas of interest and then work with Professor Yaszek to develop an appropriate research project. Some students choose to reverse-engineer the relationship between a certain SF concept and a particular group of texts (e.g., the relationship between Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein myth and the more recent SF her work has inspired). Others train their microscope on a chosen topic so that its details may be discerned more clearly (e.g. “What is New Wave SF?” or “How have depictions of robots changed over the past century?”).

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2) What is the finished product of your research in the SF Lab?

All student researchers create comprehensive web pages that display their project findings in a scholarly but accessible manner. Each web page includes an introduction to the SF topic that the student has chosen to research; a bibliography of relevant texts, films, and websites; and a summary of three to five relevant books that can be found within the Bud Foote Science Fiction Collection. When appropriate, students may also include information about related resources at Georgia Tech or in the SF community. To see a list of current webpages, click here or return to the SF Lab home page and click the “Topics” button.


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3) What are the goals of the SF Lab?

The The SF Lab typically includes three to six students each semester who work together under the supervision of Professor Lisa Yaszek.goals of the Lab are twofold. First and most immediately, the Lab provides Georgia Tech students with the opportunity to pursue advanced independent research in one of Tech’s most unique resources: the Bud Foote Science Fiction Collection. Second, the Lab provides all interested members of the SF community with an online gateway to some of the most current research and writing on specific SF topics.

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4) How big is the SF Lab?

The SF Lab typically includes three to six students each semester who work together under the supervision of Professor Lisa Yaszek.

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5) How do I get involved in the SF Lab?

Contact Professor Yaszek or talk to one of the current Lab researchers.

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6) Can anyone (i.e., non-STAC majors) get involved in the SF Lab?

Anyone who is registered as a student at Georgia Tech can work in the Lab. Students from all fields of study and at all different points in their graduate and undergraduate careers are welcome to apply for work in the lab. Ideally, SF Lab workers will have taken a least two other humanities courses at Tech and have a demonstrable interest in SF, but exceptions can be made in exceptional circumstances, pending Professor Yaszek’s approval.

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7) Do you need web designers for the SF Lab?

If you are interested in working as a web designer for us, please contact Professor Yaszek. Be prepared to provide her with a description of your web design experience and two samples of your work.

 

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8) What do I get out of my work in the SF Lab?

Students work in the Lab for independent study credit. If individual students can identify research grants or other sources of funding they might use to support their work in the Lab, Professor Yaszek will gladly help them pursue these funding opportunities.

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9) Where is the SF Lab located? When does it meet? Can I sit in on a meeting?

Lab meetings generally take place once a week in 302 Skiles. Prospective Lab workers are welcome to attend meetings. Please contact Professor Yaszek for dates and times.

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10) What is the Bud Foote Science Fiction collection?

The Bud Foote Science Fiction Collection is one of Georgia Tech’s most unique research resources. It includes over 9000 books, monographs, and other SF-related materials, all of which are available for public inspection at the Georgia Tech Library Archives. For more information, see the Bud Foote Science Fiction Collection home page.

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11) Can I donate my books, comics, or other artifacts to the Bud Foote Science Fiction Collection?

Yes, we welcome all SF-related donations to the collection! At this point in time, we are especially interested in acquiring: SF magazines and journals; women’s SF; and contemporary SF. See the Bud Foote Science Fiction Collection home page for more information about how to make donations.

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