Digital Commons Labs
The Digital Commons features two labs, the Digital Media Lab staffed by the Center for Teaching and the Digital Imaging Lab staffed by the Vanderbilt Libraries.
Digital Media Lab
The Digital Media Lab provides guidance, instruction, and resources to all university instructors, regardless of technology experience, who want to improve their technology skills and incorporate media into their teaching. On-site digital media specialists consult with instructors to help them think through the design, development, and implementation of digital media elements to support student learning. Our lab and studio services include:
- Video Production - 4k cameras, high quality microphones, and a green screen
- Audio Production - Studio microphones and a podcast editing station
- Graphic Design
- Web Design
Schedule an appointment with Digital Media Services.
Digital Imaging Lab
The Digital Imaging Lab is located in room 014 of the Digital Commons building at 1101 19th Avenue South. The lab houses the equipment and resources necessary to photograph and digitize most 2D and 3D subjects. Staff provide instruction and guidance to any Vanderbilt faculty who wishes to learn new imaging skills and techniques for their research, scholarship, creative expression, or teaching. Connor Gilmore, our Digital Imaging Specialist, is available throughout the day to others to use lab tools and technologies. Our lab and support include:
- 2D and 3D scanning and manipulation — Useful for digitizing slides and objects for classrom use, research, publications and presencations
- Photography and Imaging — Useful for documenting/improving lectures, fieldwork, digitization, and any number of image-based projects
- Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop — Useful for color correction, compositing, and other image processing for publication or digital distribution
- Cinema4D — For faculty interested in the manipulation of their 3D models or the creation of entire 3D worlds around them
Use and Reservations
To schedule at time to visit the Digital Imaging Lab, please email Connor Gilmore, digital imaging specialist. Faculty are invited to use the lab to learn about 2D and 3D imaging, or to use the gear in the lab if they already know how. Please note that the Digital Imaging Lab is intended to be a learning lab for faculty and those on their research and teaching teams. Students aren’t allowed to use the lab unless they are serving as a teaching or research assistant.
Help and Services
One-on-one instruction
The lab is open to instructors of all backgrounds and skill sets. No prior experience with any technology in the lab is required for use. For beginners, the digital imaging specialist is available to teach the ins-and-outs of all the hardware and software in the lab. Instruction can be specific to one project or task, or directed more broadly to improve your skills overall.
Consultation
The lab is also open to providing help beyond the scope of that mentioned above. This can include the use of the digital imaging specialist for on-site photography needs, the compositing and editing of large images in Photoshop, or the creation of 3D worlds in Cinema4D. Additionally, the lab specialist is available to give consultations on the right equipment and software that would best fit instructors projects’ needs.
Image Orders*
Need pictures scanned out of a book, or a digital model of a small object? The Digital Imaging specialist is available to get the things you need digitized quickly. Just drop your things off with Digital Commons administrative assistant Teresa Benedetti at the front desk of the Digital Commons and the lab will have your scans ready within three business days
* for use only by members of the History of Art and Architecture department and the Classical and Mediterranean Studies department
Meet the Digital Imaging Specialist
Connor Gilmore joined the Digital Commons as a Digital Imaging Specialist in Fall 2021. He runs all of the operations of the Digital Imaging Lab. Connor holds a B.A. in Art History from Stanford University. Prior to joining the Digital Commons, Connor was a Chappell Lougee scholar for fine art at Stanford’s Art and Art History Department. He brings extensive experience of photography and imaging to the center and is excited to learn new applications for his passion.