Students & SWGs

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Students in Dr. Kristin Atchison’s SWG also helped design active class assignments where students can more deeply engage with the content to develop a richer understanding.

Students in Dr. Kristin Atchison’s SWG helped redesign Lifespan Development (PSY/CLDP 2314) for diverse student needs.

Students in for Dr. Salena Brody’s SWG assisted with co-creating course materials Social Psychology course. They developed skills related to course design, inclusive teaching and online pedagogy.

Students in Dr. Christine Veras’s SWG assisted with creating a 12-foot dinosaur to help promote the play “Winsor & Gertie.” They helped research the best solutions to build Gertie and built it during the summer.

Students in Dr. Christine Veras’ SWG were from any major, preferably with some drawing and sculpting skills.

From character accuracy to developing visual-spatial abilities, the four sections in Dr. Christine Veras’ SWG covered collaborative and crafts skills to build something together.

Students in Dr. Torrie Cropps’ SWG assisted in developing new content/material for a relatively new course — environmental justice. Students with basic knowledge and/or environmental justice were a good fit for this program.

Dr. Alexey Root and the students who participate in her SWG to modernize Howard Staunton’s The Blue Book of Chess into a website with gender-inclusive language and algebraic notation.

Students in Dr. Alexey Root’s SWG developed chess skills, English language skill, and webpage design skills. The objective was to put Chapter I: Introduction of this public domain book on accessible webpages.

The Short-term Working Group (SWG) program is designed to provide UTD students an opportunity to work closely with a faculty member on a targeted project. Students can expect to see projects for Fall 2024 in two batches: one batch will be posted no later than May 8th, with the rest posted by August 8th. Join the SWG Student Team to be notified when new projects are available!

Faculty members propose projects and welcome ~10 undergraduate students to join them for four in-person sessions to complete a project. Students who complete a SWG program will gain skills, develop a professional relationship with a faculty member, meet other UTD students and receive a digital badge highlighting skills gained during the project.

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Past Projects

Student Testimonials

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“This SWG was a great way to share ideas and implement tangible changes to a course that will better help future students taking the course (plus, you can add it to your resumé)!”

“SWG was a unique opportunity that came just at the right time. As a transfer student in my senior year, I hadn’t had many opportunities before to network or conduct research. Overall, a 10/10 experience.”

Getting to work with my peers and Dr. Kristin Atchison in a safe, group-oriented way was an incredible experience. I got to strengthen my skills in public speaking, teamwork and time management. It’s such a rewarding feeling to know that our opinions as students do make a difference to faculty members, and that our voices are being heard and put into action through this program. I would recommend this program to any student looking for a challenging and ultimately extremely rewarding experience!

Fall 2024 Projects

Browse details of all Fall 2024 projects

Faculty Member: Prof. Eric Farrar

Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology

Join us in crafting a promotional video for the MoGraph Lab at the BAHT School! Dive into the world of motion design – where graphic design meets animation – by participating in our short-term working group. Learn to capture dynamic live-action interviews exploring the essence of “motion design.” Whether you’re a newcomer ready to explore the world of motion design or a seasoned animator seeking to refine your skills, there’s a place for you here. Dive into live-action interviews, learn editing/animation tools, and elevate your skills alongside a diverse team of creators.

Faculty Member: Dr. Monica Evans

Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology

Students will assist with co-creating course content for an advanced course in digital game storytelling, focusing on games with single-player, multi-linear narrative experiences. Students will examine, analyze, and help develop assignments centered on games with strong characters, dialogue, plot, worldbuilding, and settings/environments, as well as games with unique structures for interactive storytelling and strong representation of diverse characters and cultures. Students will develop skills related to game design, narrative structure, course design, and inclusive teaching.