The Creative Communities research group in the department of Information Science at CU Boulder is seeking PhD students to join our team. Our research group consists of students with a variety of backgrounds and interests. These backgrounds include working with youth in different settings, community organizing, designing and developing technical systems, and creative media production. Students become active contributors and take on leadership roles in the design and development of learning technologies and experiences, research on how people learn, resources for educators, and relationships with community partners. Learn more about our team and our values here.

We’re especially looking for students to contribute to our Facilitating Computational Tinkering (FCT) project. FCT work includes areas of informal learning which include family and community learning, creative learning experiences with computing, and equity-oriented community design. Students will work with local as well as national informal learning organizations that include libraries, museums, and community centers. Our project teams which include community partners have been designing and developing “computational tinkering” tools, activities, and resources that help informal learning educators meaningfully and equitably integrate computing in their practice and their spaces. In addition, we study how informal educators, youth, and families jointly engage in these activities through design-based research approaches and ethnographic methods. You can see some of our recent efforts through our research group’s blog and publications.

Interested in Applying?

We seek students who have some experience working with youth, families, and educators, especially from groups who have been marginalized from traditional computing/STEM environments. We also seek students that enjoy playfully experimenting and creating with code, craft, and/or other materials and technologies. Learn about the role that joy plays in our design work with communities.

We are currently accepting students through Information Science. Applications are due Dec 1. The department of Information Science is hosting an information session on Oct 31, 11am MT. RSVP here.