We’re recruiting research assistants to support Journalism and Artificial Intelligence: an industry roundtable
The School of Journalism and Communication will be hiring up to six students to work as research assistants on a digital team in support of Journalism and Artificial Intelligence: an industry roundtable, an international knowledge exchange and mobilization project culminating in a May 30, 2024, roundtable, in Toronto. This project involves Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication working in partnership with the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), the Globe and Mail and the Polis/LSE JournalismAI Project.
All selected applicants will be expected to be in Toronto from Wednesday, May 29 to Friday, May 31 and during that time, they will be paid for 30 hours of work at a rate of $30 per hour, with benefits. Travel and accommodation costs will be covered, as required.
The main event will be the industry roundtable of about 50 participants – including panelists and keynotes – that will take place at the head office of The Globe and Mail in downtown Toronto on Thursday, May 30, 2024. The timing is meant to coincide with the Canadian Association of Journalists conference, which takes place May 31-June 2 in downtown Toronto.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Because of the limited scope of this work – 30 hours spread over three days at the end of May – we fully expect applicants might want to take on this project in addition to their other spring and summer plans. So, for example, it would be entirely possible to apply for this position while also being considered for Carleton’s Capital Current summer work experience. And applicants to the CBC North summer internship could also take up this opportunity before heading north.
The industry roundtable will have three key objectives:
- Organizing an unprecedented gathering in Canada of experts on the intersection between journalism and AI though a one-day roundtable.
- Using the gathering to exchange and generate new knowledge on the application of AI tools in journalism practice in terms of newsgathering, news production and news distribution with an overarching examination of the ethical implications of AI use; and
- Mobilizing that knowledge to reach a wider audience in the journalism industry and journalism schools through the creation of curriculum modules and reading lists on journalism and AI as well as a timely report documenting the roundtable findings.
The event will feature a discussion of how journalism curricula can be adapted to prepare students to work effectively in an environment where the use of AI tools is now a reality.
Up to six students at the master’s and undergraduate level will be engaged directly in supporting the event and generating media content that will be shared in real time on our digital platform and creating an annotated bibliography on journalism and AI. We will publish a comprehensive and richly annotated report on the day’s discussions, including permanent links to relevant AI tools and case studies, key documents, and the research bibliography.
The members of the digital team will generate content during the roundtable for the digital platform, create an annotated bibliography on journalism and AI and support panel chairs during the event. While preference will be given to students in journalism and BMPD – given the skillset required for the positions – we will also consider applications from students in Communication and Media Studies who have the required technical skills.
There will be several different but overlapping roles. Applicants should please indicate which roles they feel they are most suited for.
At least one applicant will begin work in early May and will be given additional hours to help with event logistics and preparation.
If you apply and plan to be based in Toronto by that time, that would be ideal. However, we will also actively consider applicants who will not be based in Toronto and will cover their travel and accommodation costs.
For the actual event; the work will be done in person, in Toronto from May 29-31.
All members of the team will be tasked with different duties, and all will be generating social media content throughout. The types of duties will include:
- Bibliography Creation: Collaborating on creating an annotated bibliography on journalism and AI, drawing upon the expertise of the various roundtable participants but also outside sources to compile a comprehensive bibliography on the subject.
- Digital Media and News Content Creation: Students will form a news and digital media team to generate content for the roundtable’s digital platform by using a podcast, dedicated Facebook page, X (former Twitter), TikTok and Instagram feeds and other platforms to disseminate content about the event.
- Website Design: At least one member of the team should have proficiency in website design and will take the lead in creating and managing the platform that will be used for the event.
Again, in filling the application form, applicants should indicate which of the duties they see themselves most ideally suited to fulfill and make concrete suggestions of the type of content they could see themselves creating, in any format or medium. And please list two Carleton profs or contract instructors as references. They don’t need to submit a letter, but will be consulted as needed.
Applications will be due on Thursday, April 25, by 11:59 p.m.
Questions about this project should be addressed to Allan Thompson by email at allan.thompson@carleton.ca
Tuesday, April 16, 2024 in Journalism News, News
Share: Twitter, Facebook
