The Jandoli Institute at St. Bonaventure University has launched a second round of its Hybrid Journalism Project in which professors from different disciplines will partner with faculty from the Jandoli School of Communication to develop and produce news stories.

“The initial project in 2022 accomplished what we set out to do,” Jandoli Institute Executive Director Richard Lee said. “The faculty teams produced stories that were informative and engaging, and they learned about each other’s disciplines.”

Seven faculty teams are collaborating on stories for Round 2 of the project. Their stories will be published on the Jandoli Institute’s website, jandoli.net.

“Each team will work in partnership to shape the ideas and concepts from the different disciplines into well-researched, well-reported and well-written journalism,” Lee said.

The hybrid teams and their projects are:

• Dr. Tiffany Demiris, an assistant professor of sports management, and Dr. Denny Wilkins, a professor in the Jandoli School, will delve into questions about the implications of NCAA conference realignment.
• Dr. Elizabeth Gratz, an assistant professor of marketing and interim chair of the Department of Marketing, and David Kassnoff, a retired Jandoli School faculty member, will explain how businesses can tap a $21 billion market by better connecting with consumers with disabilities.
• Dr. Scott Medler, an associate professor of Physician Assistant Studies, and Dr. Tammy Rae Matthews, an assistant professor in the Jandoli School, will develop a “how to” guide to collecting and processing acorns into versatile flour that can be used for a variety of dishes.
• Dr. Phillip Payne, chair of the Department of History, and Dr. Brian Moritz, director of the Jandoli School’s online M.A. programs in sports journalism and digital journalism, will explore two contradictory trends in American society — the decline of history in the nation’s educational system and an explosion of popular history across various mediums.
• John Stevens, a lecturer of management, and Carole McNall, an assistant professor in the Jandoli School, will collaborate on an article about what students know, and should know, about artificial intelligence in a college environment.
• Dr. Robin Valeri, a psychology professor, and Dr. Pauline Hoffmann, an associate professor in the Jandoli School, will study the different ways hate is expressed in schools, why schools are often targets of hate crimes, and the educational culture that breeds dissent.
• Dr. Xiao-Ning Zhang, a biology professor and director of the biochemistry program, and Hoffmann will explore how climate change will impact food security worldwide by sharing the data, as well as stories of people struggling with climate change-related food insecurity.

“This project is a perfect example of faculty innovation and collaboration,” said Aaron Chimbel, dean of the Jandoli School. “I am thankful for Dr. Lee’s leadership in making the Jandoli Institute a dynamic place for creative approaches to tackle important issues.”

The institute’s hybrid journalism project is funded by a grant from the Leo E. Keenan Jr. Faculty Development Endowment at St. Bonaventure.

Stories from Round 1 of the project are posted on the Jandoli Institute website, along with a video of a roundtable discussion among the faculty participants.

The Jandoli Institute, part of the Jandoli School of Communication, serves as a forum for academic research, creative ideas and discussion on the intersection between media and democracy.