Research Opportunities Across Every Discipline
Are you looking for a research project that matches your skills and passions? The Center for Holistic Integration (CHI) invites you join our growing team of researchers and creators. At CHI, we foster interdisciplinary collaboration through expansive meta-projects — initiatives designed to support research in any field or type of activity. These meta-projects include investigations into Balanced Blended Space (BBS), encompassing theory, syntax, and practical applications, as well as explorations into shadow puppetry that span world-building, engineering, and artistic expression.
Whether you are an engineer, graphic artist, designer, programmer, manager, storyteller, musician, cultural historian, or something else entirely, CHI offers a collaborative environment to explore your passions and expand your expertise. We welcome contributions from all fields, providing opportunities to merge skills and ideas in innovative and meaningful ways.
Students can engage in CHI projects by extending existing initiatives, launching new investigations within our current framework, or proposing entirely new areas of exploration. Participation is open through programs like the Emerging Scholars Program (ESP), independent studies, internships, or culmination projects.
The list below highlights some of the exciting possibilities awaiting you. For a more complete set of project ideas, click here or visit this link to explore the full repository of research topics and opportunities.
Do you want to…
Collaborate on an Interdisciplinary Team?
- Work Across Fields: Collaborate with engineers, designers, and artists to create innovative projects.
- Participate in Research Workshops: Explore shared methodologies and problem-solving strategies.
- Lead Collaboration Efforts: Manage team dynamics to ensure project goals are met.
Develop Sets and Costumes?
- Create Costumes for live performances: Design and construct costumes that are used for both human and puppet type characters
- Create and extend theatrical spaces Design and construct innovative staging that uses stretched fabrics, projections, and dynamic manipulation to tell a story
- Work with other creatives Develop your concepts in conjunction with other designers in an interdisciplinary team to create a group project.
Build a Fictive World?
- Develop Lore and Histories: Create engaging narratives, cultures, and histories to populate a richly detailed fictional world. Use tools like WorldAnvil to organize and present your work.
- Expand Mythologies and Philosophies: Enrich the world with interconnected stories, belief systems, and philosophies that deepen its authenticity.
- Design Concept Art and Maps: Visualize the world with maps, landscapes, and artwork that guide creative projects.
Create Virtual Environments?
- Design Immersive Spaces: Build 3D environments for storytelling, performances, and gameplay using tools like Unity or Unreal Engine.
- Integrate Virtual and Physical Elements: Develop virtual spaces that interact seamlessly with physical environments to test and expand the Balanced Blended Space (BBS) concept.
- Prototype Blended Space Products: Use virtual environments to support performances, scripts, artwork, and music.
Build or Manage a Webpage?
- Design and Develop Interactive Websites: Create visually appealing and user-friendly designs using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and modern frameworks. Potential project clients include the Center for Holistic Integration (CHI) and the Austrian-American Educational Cooperation Association (AAECA).
- Optimize and Maintain Existing Sites: Ensure websites are functional, responsive, and up-to-date with regular updates and performance improvements.
- Enhance User Experience (UX): Conduct usability testing and refine designs to ensure accessibility, smooth navigation, and engagement.
Engineer Robotic Systems?
- Develop Robotic Manipulators: Create systems to control puppets for the Blended Shadow Puppet (BSP) project.
- Build Modular Robotics: Design dynamic stage elements for the Blended Reality Performance System (BRPS).
- Test and Optimize Systems: Oversee testing and troubleshooting to refine robotic designs.
Design Sustainable Architectural Structures?
- Create Reconfigurable Sets: Design modular and portable set pieces using innovative materials and tensile structures.
- Plan Adaptive Spaces: Develop spaces that integrate seamlessly with virtual and physical performance elements.
- Ensure Project Management: Oversee architectural timelines and collaboration goals to ensure smooth implementation.
Work in Blended Reality?
- Develop Real-Time Interaction Systems: Create methods for live performers to interact with virtual elements in real time.
- Enhance Storytelling Through Augmented Reality (AR): Use AR to immerse audiences in unique storytelling experiences.
- Coordinate Seamless Integration: Manage technical teams to unify physical and digital elements effectively.
- Create Structural Frameworks: Formalize Balanced Blended Space (BBS) communication pathways.
- Test Syntax Models: Apply and refine syntax in practical, interdisciplinary projects.
- Collaborate Through Research Workshops: Organize sessions to gather feedback and improve the syntax collaboratively.
Create a Game?
- Design Unique Gameplay Mechanics: Develop mechanics inspired by light and shadow interactions.
- Expand Game Narratives: Create rich storylines influenced by global storytelling traditions.
- Manage Development Teams: Coordinate project timelines and foster collaboration among game developers.
Compose Music or Soundscapes?
- Develop Virtual Instruments: Create gamelan-inspired tools for shadow puppet performances.
- Compose Original Scores: Blend traditional and modern music styles to accompany performances.
- Design Immersive Audio: Craft soundscapes for live and virtual environments.
- Write and Adapt Scripts: Bring traditional stories into modern contexts for live performances.
- Enhance Engagement Through Design: Create lighting, projection, and sound systems to captivate audiences.
- Coordinate Production Elements: Ensure cohesion among creative and technical teams.
Work with Collaborative Artificial Intelligence?
- Develop Real-Time AI Systems: Train AI for interactive performances and storytelling.
- Assist Creative Processes: Use AI to generate narratives, visuals, or performance tools.
- Focus on Ethical Innovation: Lead ethical reviews to ensure AI aligns with cultural and creative goals.
Explore Quantum Computing and Music?
- Generate Cross-Cultural Music with Quantum Computing: Use quantum principles like superposition and entanglement to analyze and synthesize music across diverse traditions, ensuring stylistic fidelity and cultural sensitivity.
- Model Musical Syntax and Semantics: Leverage quantum algorithms to explore the hierarchical and recursive structures of music, revealing new insights into its syntactic patterns.
- Integrate Advanced Tools: Combine Topological Data Analysis (TDA), fuzzy logic, and probabilistic sampling to model complex relationships in musical compositions.
Explore Cultural Histories and Traditions?
- Research Global Storytelling Practices: Study philosophies and cultural artifacts to inspire new projects.
- Preserve and Document Findings: Create resources that connect historical insights to creative outputs.
- Collaborate Across Disciplines: Work with researchers to integrate findings into performances or educational tools.
Tell Stories in New and Exciting Ways?
- Write Innovative Narratives: Combine live-action and digital storytelling to engage diverse audiences.
- Expand World Mythologies: Add depth to the Blended Shadow Puppet (BSP) world with layered narratives.
- Facilitate Collaborative Writing: Organize workshops to refine and integrate creative ideas.
- Develop Marketing Strategies: Create campaigns to promote CHI, AAECA, and related projects.
- Design Multimedia Content: Produce engaging visuals, videos, and social media posts.
- Track and Optimize Performance: Use analytics to maximize outreach and engagement.
Document and Preserve Knowledge?
- Build Digital Repositories: Archive stories, assets, and methodologies for future use.
- Create Knowledge-Sharing Platforms: Develop wikis and guides to disseminate research findings.
- Ensure Data Consistency: Oversee archival projects to maintain accessibility and accuracy.
Invent New Technologies?
- Experiment with Projection Mapping: Develop advanced light and shadow techniques for immersive experiences.
- Integrate Physical and Digital Systems: Create systems that blend physical and virtual components seamlessly.
- Oversee Tech Development: Manage project timelines and resource allocation for tech-driven initiatives.
Something Else?
Do you have your own idea, passion, or unique project in mind? Propose your own project or research activity! CHI is here to support your vision and help turn your ideas into meaningful opportunities.