Northeastern University's NULab for Digital Humanities and Computational Social Science Redesigned to Enhance Research and Collaboration

BOSTON, MA - October 17, 2024 - Northeastern University's NULab has undergone a name change, reflecting its evolution into a premier research institution for digital humanities and computational social science.

The lab, formerly known as the NULab for Texts, Maps and Networks, now bears the name NULab for Digital Humanities and Computational Social Science. The rebranding aims to streamline the naming convention and provide a more accurate representation of the lab's work.

"We used to have to explain what we did using 'text, maps, and networks'," said Sean Rogers, assistant director of the renamed lab. "With this new name, we can simply say digital humanities and computational social science, which is what we actually do."

The NULab provides a platform for digital computational methods to enhance and extend research in the social sciences. According to Rogers, the lab allows researchers to apply computational approaches to complex problems, such as understanding attitudes towards law enforcement.

"A traditional survey might involve 50 people, while our digital methods can analyze 30,000 tweets on the same topic," Rogers explained. "It's a more efficient way of getting at those social science issues."

The NULab collaborates with students and faculty from across various departments to promote digital humanities and computational social science research. The lab facilitates networking, community building, and skills development in this field.

Rogers also highlighted the lab's support for seedling grants and travel programs, which provide funding for researchers to tackle innovative projects and collaborate globally.

"It's a network of scholars from different positions, doing groundbreaking work," Rogers said. "We aim to both leverage and contribute to Northeastern's vision as a global campus."

The NULab continues to play a vital role in promoting digital humanities and computational social science research at Northeastern University, further cementing its position as a leading institution in this field.