The Sussex-Santa Cruz Digital Media Exchange is a two-year faculty and post-graduate exchange involving visits from the University of Sussex to the University of California Santa Cruz and back. It is funded by the University of Sussex Partnership Office with additional support from successive MFM Heads of School Professor Sue Thornham, Professor Tim Jordan, and the Dean of the Arts, Professor David Yager at UC Santa Cruz.

The aim of the exchange is to develop links between research cultures at the University of Sussex, and that of UC Santa Cruz.  Both institutions have rich and innovative histories in relation to the institution of the university; to computational and digital media; and they are both embedded in broader cultural production in this area.  The overall objective is to develop a durable partnership through postgraduate student and faculty mobility, and enhance theory and practice in digital media research.

The exchange specifically aims to make links between the Arts at UC Santa Cruz and Media Film and Music and Informatics at the University of Sussex. To this end we are planning for a group of 2 faculty and 4 students from Sussex to visit UC Santa Cruz for a week and for a group of 2 faculty and 4 students from UC Santa Cruz to visit the University of Sussex later in the year.  These visits will show case work and involve a programme of events and engagement with the wider research community in each institution with the aim of making broad links as well as offering opportunity for collaboration between individuals.  Students and faculty will attend seminars and lectures, give presentations on their own work, explore each other’s research cultures and exhibition opportunities, engage with events in the respective locations, and explore possible funding opportunities.

Dr Kate O’Riordan is leading the organization of the exchange with Jennifer Parker. Please contact them further information. k.oriordan@sussex.ac.uk and parker1@ucsc.edu