Library West has opened the doors of a humanities lab to all students.
The Scott Nygren Scholars Studio, a state-of-the-art lab that offers a collaborative research space, was formerly open only to students studying humanities. It is now available for 10 hours each week to all UF students and faculty members interested in digital humanities and research. Others interested in using the studio can make reservations at times that fit their schedules, said Jana Ronan, the chairwoman of Library West.
The lab, which opened March 17, 2015, features LED TVs that have touchscreen capabilities and advanced software like Adobe Creative Suite, Java Development Kit and Python as well as tables and chairs that can be rearranged to fit a group’s needs, Ronan said.
“We’re really excited about the space and hope more students become interested in it,” she said, adding that the studio has been busy since it opened.
The studio was named after Scott Nygren, a former UF English professor and digital humanist, who died in March 2014.
Tim Blanton, 25, said the studio allows him to explore his interest in digital humanities, which uses digital tools and computer software to learn more about subjects through research methods like text analysis.
The UF history graduate student said the studio honoring the life of Nygren allows others to continue his work.
“It’s really great for us to bring a digital humanities working group into his legacy,” he said.
