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The IT Help Desk is available to answer questions regarding any of the services that IT provides and any of the software applications that we support. They are able to assist with network configurations, software troubleshooting and training, email support and configuration, and more. The IT Help Desk staff uses remote tools as well as a shared knowledge base to help provide resolutions to reported issues as quickly as possible. All requests for assistance are documented in the IT Help Desk software. If the IT Help Desk is unable to resolve the issue, the ticket will be routed to the appropriate IT technician for resolution. The IT Help Desk makes every effort to respond to each request the same day it is received.

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Student Academic Success Programs

Vital components of the Student Academic Success Programs team are located in the Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center (A-LEC). Various staff are devoted to helping students become more interdependent, self-confident and efficient learners. Their mission is to help students respond effectively to specific academic challenges, to articulate and attain their own educational goals, and to succeed at any level of the undergraduate curriculum. Each year, about one third of SMU’s undergraduate students participate in A-LEC programs, courses and services, including more than half of first and second year students. All A-LEC services are available to undergraduate students at no cost. Some services are available on a drop-in basis and others are available by appointment. Students may be referred to the A-LEC by their advisers, faculty or a resident assistant, but most students choose to come on their own. More information is available online at www.smu.edu/sasp .

Academic Counseling. Full-time staff members are available to work individually with students on study strategies. Some specialize in working with students with learning differences or students on academic probation.

Tutoring Services. The A-LEC offers subject-specific tutoring in most first- and second-year courses. Tutorials are offered in individual, small-group and review session formats. The tutoring schedule changes regularly and updates can be found on the A-LEC website.

Writing Center. English department faculty members assist undergraduate students at any stage of the writing process, from planning a draft to learning from previously graded papers. Faculty assist with all undergraduate writing assignments, from DISC through applications to graduate school. There are faculty who work specifically with students where English is not their first language.

Workshops. The A-LEC offers about 40 study strategy workshops each semester. Among the topics covered are note-taking, time management, test-taking strategies, textbook study reading, motivation and stress management. 

HDEV 1110 - Reading and Learning Strategies   Each academic year, hundreds of SMU students take HDEV 1110    to develop their advanced reading and learning skills. Every fall, some sections are reserved for prehealth students, transfer students and students with documented learning differences. Students can register for HDEV 1110    at the same time they register for their other courses.

HDEV 1211 - Success Strategies   This course helps students develop strategies for creating success in their academic, professional and personal lives. Students engage in ongoing self-assessment and journal writing, learn study skills, and explore campus resources. The course is designed for students on academic probation and for those who are dissatisfied with their grades. Students can register for HDEV 1211    at the same time they register for their other courses.

Disability Accommodations and Success Strategies. DASS offers any qualifying SMU student with a disability comprehensive support services, including classroom accommodations. DASS assists with physical accessibility issues, referrals, and housing/dining accommodations for many conditions such as physical, visual or hearing disabilities and medical or psychiatric disorders. For undergraduate students with a learning disability and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, academic coaching with DASS learning specialists is available in the areas of transitioning, learning strategies, educational planning and self-advocacy. All services are at no cost to the student. More information on the accommodations process and DASS resources is available online at www.smu.edu/sasp/dass. 

Student Persistence and Achievement (SPA). The newest academic support area is located in the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE). In partnership with Student Affairs, the staff in ACE recognize that everyone comes to college with different educational experiences. Programs and academic counselors in ACE focus on those who identify as first-generation college students, may need assistance in adjusting to an urban city, or seek assistance in fully utilizing campus resources, be they academic, financial, or social. SPA plans and implements intentional programing and provides mentorship to students to support their academic pursuits. The staff partners with many campus departments to assist new students in their academic pursuits.

SMU Libraries

www.smu.edu/libraries

SMU Libraries are one of the greatest assets of the University, and comprise the largest private research library system in Texas, ranking third in the state with over four million volumes. Support for research and teaching for SMU students, faculty and staff is the primary goal of all libraries at SMU. The University’s library system is comprised of six libraries on the main campus and one library in Taos, NM.

Fondren Library

Hamon arts library.

  • DeGolyer Library

Underwood Law Library

Bridwell library, business library, fort burgwin library.

Fondren Library is the main library on campus and serves students, faculty and staff in the areas of humanities, social sciences, business, education, science, and engineering, with over three million print and online resources. Subject librarians assigned to each discipline offer personal research services to students and faculty to support teaching and learning. Subject librarians collaborate with faculty to integrate information literacy concepts into university curriculum to support the academic mission of the university. Within Fondren Library, students have access to 1,000 seats of study space, including bookable study rooms and conference rooms with supportive learning technology. The Caren Prothro Learning Commons and nearby Collaborative Commons provide both individual and collaborative group spaces conducive to creative work, as well as a Starbucks café and the IT Help Desk to provide technical assistance to the University community. For quiet study, the Fondren Foundation Centennial Reading Room is a beautiful setting with vaulted ceilings and handmade wooden tables with reading lamps in a large sunlit space. The bold visual impact of this iconic reading room epitomizes the discovery, inspiration and community for which SMU is known. In addition to physical spaces, Fondren Library also manages the SMU Digital Repository, called SMU Scholar, which houses the scholarly output of the SMU faculty and graduate students. To support the research of the university, Fondren Library provides document delivery, as well as access to holdings from other libraries via interlibrary loan. Strengths of the Fondren Library collections include, classical studies, late 18th- and early 19th-century English literature, American history, Texas history, contemporary biography and literature, anthropology, political science, economics and other social sciences.

The Norwick Center for Digital Solutions (nCDS), located in Fondren Library, focuses on digitizing collections of rare photographs, manuscripts, imprints, art work, film, musical recordings, and other unique items for increased access via the Digital Collections website. nCDS serves as a teaching lab, with digital collections development and Digital Humanities practicums available to students.

The Hamon Arts Library , adjoining the south side of the Owen Arts Center of the Meadows School of the Arts, provides resources for the study of art history, communications, dance, film, music, theatre and visual art. With nearly 250,000 volumes of books, sound recordings and video recordings, the library’s collections support the Meadows curriculum and are particularly strong in European and American arts. The library also provides conference room facilities; group audio-visual study and presentation rooms; and public computers for research, study and arts-specific software projects. Two special collections units are administered by Hamon Arts Library:

The Jerry Bywaters Special Collections focus on the cultural history of the American Southwest. Visual arts holdings include archival materials and works of art on paper documenting the careers of artists such as Jerry Bywaters, Otis and Velma Davis Dozier, E.G. Eisenlohr, Octavio Medellin, Olin Travis and Janet Turner as well as correspondence of 19th-century French painter Rosa Bonheur. Performing arts holdings include two Japanese gigaku masks dating from the 7th to the 10th centuries, the papers of Oscar-winning actress Greer Garson, and materials documenting the careers of longtime SMU music faculty members Paul van Katwijk and Lloyd Pfautsch.

The G. William Jones Film and Video Collection , founded in 1970, holds more than 10,000 films and videos on a wide array of subjects, in all types of formats. The Jones Collection is best known for its Tyler, Texas, Black Film Collection, WFAA newsreel collection, and for the Sulphur Springs Collection of pre-nickelodeon films.

DeGoyler Library

DeGolyer Library is a noncirculating special collections library that contains more than 170,000 volumes. In addition to rare books, the DeGoyler Library holds nearly 2,500 separate manuscript collections, nearly 1.5 million photographs and negatives, 2,000 newspaper and periodical titles, 3,000 maps, and an extensive collection of printed ephemera. Subject strengths include the American West, Mexico, railroad history, business history, and the history of science and technology.

The University Archives , part of the DeGolyer Library, are the official repository for SMU administrative and historical records of the University. The archives contain manuscripts, photographs, publications, records, and artifacts documenting the establishment and growth of the University. SMU administrators, faculty, local historians and media representatives are its principal users, but students and visiting scholars often use its materials for a variety of research projects.

Underwood Law Library is the largest private academic law library west of the Mississippi River. Its collections include more than 660,000 law-related volumes and equivalents, ranking the library among the top 20% of law libraries in the United States. The library’s building is the fifth largest academic law library in the country. The subject area strengths of the library’s collections mirror the Law School’s curriculum and faculty research concentrations: corporate law, commercial and banking law, criminal law, securities, taxation, air and space law, constitutional law, intellectual property law, international law, law and medicine, and legal ethics. The library’s collection of antiquarian law books, including the McKnight Antiquarian Book Collection, is one of the leading collections of its kind in the country, with volumes printed as early as 1473. The library has more than 700 seats and 14 group study rooms.

Bridwell Library, primarily serving the faculty and students of the Perkins School of Theology, is the University’s principal research resource for the fields of theology and religious studies. It offers a print collection of nearly 400,000 volumes and more than 1,000 journals, and it provides access to a wide array of digital books, journals and databases. Among the library’s special collections are significant holdings in early printing, English and American Methodism, theology, religion, and the book arts. The interpretation of these collections is accomplished through class instruction, lectures, publications and exhibitions. Reference librarians are available to help students discover and use the many resources of Bridwell Library.

The Business Library of the Cox School of Business is located in room 150 of the Maguire Building. This library is open to all students regardless of major. The mission of the library is to provide the SMU community with authoritative business information, regardless of format; support the integration of information and technology into the curriculum; and act as a center for research and development for state-of-the-art information technology applications in the business education field. In support of this mission, students, faculty and staff have access to course-specific in-class instruction sessions, open enrollment research workshops and reference assistance from dedicated business librarians to enhance their use of current business news and financial, industry and market data from premier providers. The Business Library includes the Kitt Investing and Trading Center, quiet and group study areas, 70 computer workstations in individual and group areas, a multimedia studio, a group presentation practice room, a periodicals area, facility wide wireless access, more than 400 electronic resources, and a variety of print resources, including the Hillcrest Foundation International Resource Library, the Edwin L. Cox Business Leadership Center Resource Collection, the Maguire Energy Institute Resource Collection and the Cox Career Services Collection. Librarians are available all hours that the business library is open, providing research assistance both in person and virtually.

The Fort Burgwin Library, located in Taos, New Mexico, serves students and faculty in the SMU-in-Taos program. It is focused on the history, literature, cultures and environment of New Mexico and the Southwest. The library, constructed in 2004, contains approximately 9,000 books and a small collection of journals and maps, and houses the Fred Wendorf Information Commons and a computer lab.

Scholars’ Den

The Scholars’ Den is a gathering space for members of the various scholar groups at SMU. Its mission is to foster scholarship and community among its member groups by providing a hospitable place to study and hold scholarly events. Located in Clements Hall, the Scholars’ Den features group-meeting space, study areas, a kitchen/dining area and an informal lounge where students can gather to collaborate on academic and extracurricular projects. Additional information can be found by navigating to www.smu.edu/scholarsden .

Laboratories and Research Facilities

The University provides laboratories and equipment for courses in accounting, advertising, anthropology, art, biology, chemistry, communication studies, creative computation, languages, Earth sciences, film and media studies, journalism, psychology, physics, health and physical education, dance, music, theatre, and statistics, as well as civil, computer, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering. The University is also home to a number of centers and institutes that are detailed in each of the school sections of this catalog. University facilities not listed below are described in sections for the individual schools.

ManeFrame II. SMU has one of the top supercomputers in the nation, ManeFrame II, which is capable of more than 625 trillion mathematical operations per second. Housed in the data center, ManeFrame II is available for faculty and student research in subjects ranging from particle physics to human behavior, water quality and drug discovery.

SMU-in-Taos. SMU-in-Taos, Fort Burgwin, is located 10 miles south of Taos, New Mexico. The facility includes classrooms, laboratories, offices, a computer center and a library, as well as living accommodations for students and faculty. The Fort Burgwin archaeology curation facility houses more than 1 million archaeological specimens from research projects conducted by SMU faculty and students. Northern New Mexico offers a multiplicity of research opportunities for both natural and social scientists. Pot Creek Pueblo, located on the fort’s property, is one of the largest prehistoric archaeological sites in the Taos region.

Meadows Museum

The Meadows Museum , founded by the late philanthropist Algur H. Meadows and located on campus at 5900 Bishop Boulevard, houses one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of Spanish art in the world, as well as selected masterpieces of modern European sculpture, from Rodin and Maillol to David Smith and Claes Oldenburg. The permanent collection of the museum numbers more than 3,500 objects, including paintings, sculpture, decorative arts and works on paper from the Middle Ages to the present. Artists represented include El Greco, Velázquez, Ribera, Zurbarán, Murillo, Goya, Picasso, Dalí, and Miró. The Meadows Museum hosts a regular program of loan exhibitions each year in its exhibition galleries, and it sponsors an active program of public lectures, tours, films, concerts and symposia, as well as access programs, children’s art programs and family days throughout the year. Museum collections are often used by SMU faculty in their courses. The museum membership program includes exhibition previews, tours of private collections and opportunities for travel. Docent tours of the collection are available to school, University and adult groups. The Meadows Museum has a museum shop on site as well as special event rooms. Additional information is available at www.meadowsmuseumdallas.org .

Office of Information Technology

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) provides computing, information processing, and communications resources to satisfy the needs of faculty, students, and staff. These services include an SMU email account, access to enrollment and financial data online, Internet access, telephone services, Web-based services, technical support, and a variety of software and hardware discounts.

SMU offers high-speed network connections throughout campus. Students can take advantage of both wired and wireless connections throughout all areas of the residence halls. Wireless coverage (PerunaNet) also extends throughout the campus in classrooms, libraries, common areas, and several outdoor locations. In addition to on-campus Internet connections, OIT provides off-campus access to resources via a virtual private network connection (VPN) and access to other research institutions Wi-Fi networks through eduroam.

All students receive an SMU email account, which will remain active after graduation. The email account may be accessed online via Office 365 ( office365.smu.edu ). Students also have access to a variety of Web-based services such as my.SMU, personal blog space ( people.smu.edu ), unlimited cloud storage space ( smu.edu/box ) , and the Canvas Learning Management System ( smu.edu/canvas ). Academic information, including grade history, financial information, and class registration, is available through the my.SMU system.

OIT also provides complimentary on-campus IT support. Located in Fondren Library West, the IT Help Desk provides technical assistance for most common computing issues and installs of software applications pertinent to course instruction weekdays and weekends during the regular semester. Times will vary for breaks and summer. Please check the website at smu.edu/oit for the latest hours. The IT Help Desk provides support via phone at 214-768-HELP or in-house for a wide variety of technical questions related to networking, software installs, and the use of SMU IT resources. The OIT website ( smu.edu/oit ) provides information, step-by-step instructions, and answers to many frequently asked questions. Training On-Demand is also available through LinkedIn Learning ( smu.edu/LinkedIn ) for additional software.

Although most students have a personal laptop, SMU provides a number of public computer labs. Typically, the labs contain both Mac and PC workstations and support a variety of applications. Printing is also available through our PaperCut Pay-for-Print System ( smu.edu/printing ). If needing to purchase a personal copy of the software, discounts on software and computer hardware purchases are available throughout the year. More information can be found on the OIT website at smu.edu/oit .

For additional information on services provided by OIT, students should visit www.smu.edu/oit or call the IT Help Desk at 214-768-HELP (4357). SMU related technology news and updates are available on Twitter ( @smuoit ) and the IT Connect blog ( blog.smu.edu/itconnect ).

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Research based assignments, tips for developing research-based assignments.

State Purpose

  • Give clear instructions in writing.
  • Define concepts or terms (including library terms) that may be unfamiliar to students .
  • Identify the learning objectives for the assignment (including information literacy objectives, see What is Information Literacy?  section below) so that students know what to do and why.
  • Provide students with a rubric that shows how they will be evaluated.

Provide Variety

  • In order to prevent large numbers of students from needing to use the same information sources at the same time, allow students to choose from a range of topics.
  • Define sources to be used or not to be used (e.g., minimum of two books, four journal articles, no more than one website, etc.). Encouraging students to use a variety of sources and search tools can help to ensure that students use appropriate materials and that they do not rely too heavily on one source.
  • If you place limitations on sources to be used, be careful not to be too restrictive. Very restrictive date limits, for example, "use only material published in the last three years," may impede a student's ability to find adequate material.
  • If you expect some materials to be heavily used (e.g., library-owned books), request that they be placed on Reserve by contacting Dan Shanahan .

Check Availability

  • It is always a good idea to check that the library has the sources your students will need to complete their assignment. Do not assume that library sources are available.
  • Check the Novanet catalogue to verify library holdings or consult with library staff at the library's Research Help Desk (902-420-5544).

Notify Library

  • Library staff will help you to verify that the sources your students will need to accomplish the assignment are available. They can also  provide suggestions as to what sources to use and alert you to new sources that have become available.
  • Send a copy of your assignment to the library's Reference/Research Department. This enables library staff to prepare in advance, to better assist your students. Please forward your assignments to Nicole Carter , Reference and Research Librarian (902-420-5540).

Provide Guidance

  • Discuss the research process in class and review the kinds of sources you expect students to use.
  • Distinguish between different types of sources (e.g., journals vs. magazines, primary vs. secondary, research databases vs. the internet). Many students do not understand the differences.
  • Ensure that students understand the strengths and weaknesses of the internet as a source of information.
  • When referring to the library or to a particular source, it helps to give specific instructions (e.g., tell students to find journal articles using PsycINFO, as opposed to telling them to look for psychology articles in the library).

Offer Library Instruction

  • Consider scheduling a library instruction session. Many students may have never used an academic library, and those who have, often lack the skills needed to use a library effectively. Participation in library instruction sessions should not be optional. It is also important that you attend the session with your class. Your presence and participation may motivate students to be more engaged in the session.
  • Contact Heather Sanderson ,  Information Literacy Librarian ( 902-420-5541), to schedule a library instruction session. Please allow as much notice as possible (preferably two weeks).
  • Encourage your students to ask library staff for assistance. Students can be hesitant to ask for help when needed.
  • Alert students to our Research-By-Appointment service for in-depth research assistance and/or for individual instruction in how to search the library's resources effectively.

Incorporate Critical Thinking

  • Avoid "scavenger hunt" assignments that ask students to locate random facts and items in the library. This type of assignment can be very frustrating for students.
  • Assignments that require students to evaluate, analyze, compare, question, and/or synthesize the information they find make for a better learning experience. They also help build skills that are transferable to other research projects.

Break Assignments into Manageable Steps

  • Divide assignments into graduated parts and establish a time frame for completion of each part. For example, as a first assignment, have students produce an outline or an annotated bibliography. Breaking up the assignment into manageable steps allows you the opportunity to monitor student progress and offer feedback. It also prevents students from leaving their assignment to the last minute when panic may cause some students to take shortcuts that could result in plagiarism.
  • To discourage plagiarism and to check that students are correctly citing their research, ask students to hand in photocopies or printouts of their sources with their completed assignments.

Test Assignment

  • Complete the assignment yourself  before handing it out. This may help you to identify any difficulties students may encounter when completing the assignment. It will also give you an idea as to how long it should take your students to complete it. 
  • Once students have completed the assignment, ask them for their feedback about it.
  • Ask the Reference and Research Librarian, Nicole Carter  (902-420-5540) for feedback. Library reference staff may be able to tell you what difficulties, if any, your students had in finding information for the assignment.

Discuss Plagiarism and Copyright

  • Make sure students are aware of the university's policy on plagiarism (e.g., include information about plagiarism in your course syllabus; refer students to the Academic Calendar (see section on Academic Integrity and Student Responsibility ); show students where they can find additional information (e.g.,  A Student's Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism ) or assign the Library's Academic Integrity Foundations (AIF).
  • Discuss the ethical use of information sources. Provide information on how to cite sources (see, for example, the Library's citation guides and the Writing Centre's handouts .
  • Be clear about your expectations. Refer students to the citation style you prefer them to use.
  • Provide information on the use of copyrighted material in assignments (see the Copyright Guide for Students and the  Copyright Guide for Faculty and Staff ).

Evaluate Information Literacy Skills

  • Assess the research process and information literacy skills as part of the overall assignment grade.
  • Analyzing student bibliographies, including an annotated bibliography if used (e.g., evaluate types of sources, relevancy, currency, and accuracy in citing, etc.)
  • Asking students to describe and hand in a research strategy (e.g., have students list the search tools they used and the various search strategies they tried, etc.)
  • Requiring printouts of database search histories
  • Asking students to describe at least three criteria they applied to judge the quality of a webpage or site they used as a source of information
  • Asking students to write a brief (one page) essay, or orally report on their research process and what they learned from it.

What is Information Literacy?

Information literacy is a key component of student academic success. It is fundamental to lifelong learning and the pursuit of knowledge. Individuals need to develop information-seeking skills that transcend specific tools and formats, to interpret and evaluate information and its sources critically, and to learn from that information.

Students who are information literate are able to:

  • formulate a research question in response to an information need
  • understand how information is produced and disseminated
  • understand the differences between types of information sources
  • identify the types and/or formats of information needed
  • identify and efficiently use appropriate search tools
  • locate and retrieve relevant information
  • critically evaluate information and sources
  • integrate and organize information gathered from different sources
  • understand issues relating to academic integrity
  • cite information sources correctly

For more information about information literacy, see:

"Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education," American Library Association, February 9, 2015. http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework (Accessed August 17, 2015). Document ID: b901a6c4-6c8a-0d44-7dbc-a5dcbd509e3f

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Graduate Students' Resource Guide

Library services, research help, suggest a book.

  • Electronic Resources
  • Theses & Dissertations
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  • Writing & Citing
  • Borrowing Materials
  • Document Delivery
  • Library Spaces
  • Laptop Borrowing
  • Using Other Libraries

Graduate students, staff, and faculty registered at other Novanet libraries have loan periods lasting the current academic term. They may renew to a maximum period of 16 months.

  • Graduate Borrowing Privileges Graduate students and faculty registered at other Novanet libraries have loan periods lasting the current academic term.
  • Your Library Account You can find out what books you have borrowed from the library, their due dates or even renew them online.
  • Document Delivery Services Borrow from other libraries - Novanet Express and Interlibrary Loan services.
  • Group Study Rooms Book a study room online; the Library has ten group study rooms (minimum 2 students required).
  • Study Room Policy
  • Laptop Lending at the Patrick Power Library The Library has 30 laptops are available for use within The Patrick Power Library. Please visit the Circulation Desk for details.
  • Laptop Borrowing Agreement
  • CAUL Card: Council of Atlantic University Libraries Inter-University Borrowing Card You may borrow items in person from post-secondary institutions across Canada by showing your Saint Mary's ID and your CAUL Card. CAUL cards may be acquired free of charge from the Saint Mary's Library Circulation Desk.
  • eduroam at Saint Mary's University eduroam (education roaming) is a wireless service that allows students, staff, and faculty to use their own home institution’s wireless credentials to access wireless network services when visiting any other eduroam affiliated institution without having to set up a guest account.
  • Novanet Catalogue Novanet is a consortium of post-secondary libraries in Nova Scotia. Your status as a Saint Mary's student grants you borrowing privileges at each library; all items are indexed in this catalogue.
  • SMU WorldCat: A Brief Guide Information on borrowing items from the WorldCat online worldwide catalogue.
  • Voila (Canadian National Catalogue) Voila lists the holdings of over 1300 libraries across Canada. Use this to locate materials not available in the Novanet Catalogue.
  • WorldCat Search the collections of many other libraries worldwide using WorldCat, the world's largest network of library-based content and services.

The Library carries the backfiles of a number of periodicals in microfilm and microfiche formats.  The microform collection and microform readers are located on the Library's first floor; students are free to use the material as needed. For assistance in using the readers, please consult the staff at the Circulation Desk.

  • Microform location

Visit the Research Help desk located on the first floor of the Library!

Our Research Help team understands how libraries and databases work. We can:

  • show you how to search for books or articles
  • teach you how to use databases and the web
  • give directions to obtain material not on campus
  • advise on where and how to look when you have run out of ideas
  • and much more!

For in-depth research assistance, you can stop by the Research Help desk or  schedule an appointment with a librarian. 

  • Suggest a Book Order Form Is there a book you think would make a good addition to the Library?
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IT Connect

Connecting you to the latest training, service information and IT updates for SMU.

colorful noise with the words 'Distributed Acoustic Sensing on SMU Campus Dark Fibers' in red text overlaid.

OIT and Earth Sciences Department Test Distributed Acoustic Sensing on SMU Campus Dark Fibers

With Special Reporting from Chris Hayward, Department of Earth Sciences

SMU’s campus fibers include a number of fibers that are reserved for future expansion but are currently unused for computer networking or telecommunications. Nathan Miller, OIT’s Senior Infrastructure Design Engineer, patched these fibers together into a back-and-forth path to build a fiber path of nearly 10 kilometers for testing that includes a fiber sampling the same ground area twice. This allows the seismic noise to be confirmed (since it appears twice) as independent of any extraneous noise.

Screenshot of the acoustic sensing for the fiber.

Some of the fiber is buried along Airline Road, and can easily detect vehicle traffic. In earlier tests in Plano, it appeared possible to estimate the vehicle speed, weight, and number of wheels, but the complexity of heavy traffic made confirmation difficult. The test on campus, with lighter traffic will enable us to better recognize the capabilities of existing dark fiber for traffic characterization. In addition, the campus fiber loop, with its better-controlled environment, will allow researchers to better understand the capabilities and operation of the fiber interrogator (the brains of the technique) when it is time to do experiments in more remote areas.

A major challenge of operating a DAS for extended periods is the amount of data collected.  The prior 1-week test in Plano resulted in collecting 1 TB per day on 100 km of fiber.  Because the collected data contains a rich variety of signals and noise, reviewing such large datasets is a daunting task.  The first SMU test is a smaller scale designed to produce a more manageable dataset (although a 100 GB/day dataset is still daunting).

This recent collaboration is yet another example of OIT working to make all of the technology resources at our disposal available for research and innovation in all disciplines.

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Zach Peterson

Zach is a Senior IT Training & Communications Consultant with OIT. Zach began his SMU career at the IT Help Desk in 2012 and joined the Training & Communications Team in 2015. He is a 2011 graduate from the University of North Texas and obtained a Master of Liberal Studies degree from SMU in 2018. He enjoys reading and collecting vintage and antique radio sets. He grew up in Valley View, Texas near Denton. View all posts by Zach Peterson

Office of Information Technology

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  1. Welcome Desk

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  2. New Student Dashboard Simplifies my.SMU Tasks

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  3. SMU students share their research at SMU Research Day 2018

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  4. SMU Research

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  5. SMU's IT Help Desk

    smu research help desk

  6. Research@SMU

    smu research help desk

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COMMENTS

  1. About the IT Help Desk at SMU

    The IT Help Desk is available to answer questions regarding any of the services that IT provides and any of the software applications that we support. They are able to assist with network configurations, software troubleshooting and training, email support and configuration, and more. The IT Help Desk staff uses remote tools as well as a shared ...

  2. Contact and Hours

    EIT Help Desk. Loyola Academic 268 or Atrium Ground Floor Email: [email protected] Phone: 902-496-8111. Classroom Support . Phone: 902-420-5558. Enterprise Information Technology Main Office. McNally East 019 Phone: 902-420-5480 Fax: 902-496-8103. Help Desk Hours of Work:

  3. Research Help

    [email protected]. Access Services: 902-420-5547. Research Help: 902-420-5544. Mailing address: Saint Mary's University. 923 Robie Street. Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3C3. ... One-on-one Research Help appointments are available in person and online on weekdays, evenings, and weekends. Book a Research Help appointment online. How We Can Help.

  4. OIT Support Units Help Across Campus and Online

    Of course, you can still contact via phone (214-768-HELP), email ([email protected]), online support form (help.smu.edu), or just walk in and talk to someone at the physical Help Desk within Fondren Library. For a list of current hours, please visit smu.edu/itsupport. The IT Help Desk also works closely with our Embedded Support Team. We have a team ...

  5. Research Help

    Connect with Research Help at the Patrick Power Library: Email: [email protected]. Phone: 902-420-5544. Text: 902-702-3057. Book an appointment: Research Help appointments are available in person and online on weekdays, evenings and weekends regularly and by request. Outside of the Library's Research Help hours, try Novanet Live Help.

  6. Research Help

    In-depth consultation is also available to both faculty and students to discuss data issues in their projects. To make an appointment, please come to the Research Help Desk, call us at 902-420-5544, or e-mail us at [email protected].

  7. Educational Facilities and Services

    The IT Help Desk provides support via phone at 214-768-HELP or in-house for a wide variety of technical questions related to networking, software installs, and the use of SMU IT resources. The OIT website ( smu.edu/oit) provides information, step-by-step instructions, and answers to many frequently asked questions.

  8. When is the Research Help desk open?

    Contact Us. Research Help Hours. [email protected]. 902-420-5544. Text 902-702-3057 for Research Help. Text 902-816-0748 for Noise Complaints. Research Help Chat + Screenshare. Follow @SMUhfxlibrary on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram.

  9. Research Help

    Email: [email protected]. Phone: 902-420-5544. Text: 902-702-3057. Book an appointment: Research Help appointments are available in person and online on weekdays, evenings and weekends regularly and by request. Outside of the Library's Research Help hours, try Novanet Live Help. Live Help is an online chat-based reference service provided by ...

  10. The Patrick Power Library

    [email protected]. Access Services: 902-420-5547. Research Help: 902-420-5544. Mailing address: Saint Mary's University. 923 Robie Street. Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3C3. Social media. Share on Instagram smuhfxlibrary. Share on Facebook @SMUHfxLibrary. Share on Twitter SMUHfxLibrary. The Patrick Power Library.

  11. Enterprise Information Technology

    We advance and support teaching, research and learning at Saint Mary's by helping the campus community solve technology's challenges and harness its solutions. We make sure the University's information systems are easily accessed — from anywhere. ... Contact the help desk through [email protected] or 902-496-8111. Access our services. Who ...

  12. Research Based Assignments

    Research Help: 902-420-5544. Mailing address: Saint Mary's University. 923 Robie Street. ... Check the Novanet catalogue to verify library holdings or consult with library staff at the library's Research Help Desk ... [email protected]. Access Services: 902-420-5547. Research Help: 902-420-5544. Mailing address:

  13. IT Help Desk

    The Office of Information Technology (OIT) IT Help Desk will have reduced hours next week with walk-in, phone, and chat support ending at 6 p.m. On Thursday, support will wrap at 5 p.m. The IT Help Desk will be closed for regular business operations from Friday, December 22, 2023, through Monday, January 1, 2024, for the winter break.

  14. Library Services

    Visit the Research Help desk located on the first floor of the Library! Our Research Help team understands how libraries and databases work. We can: show you how to search for books or articles; teach you how to use databases and the web; give directions to obtain material not on campus; advise on where and how to look when you have run out of ...

  15. IT Services & Help

    IT Help Centre Basement 1, School of Accountancy Mon-Fri 8:00am to 7:00pm Last walk-in at 6:30pm Closed on Sat, Sun and Public Holidays Phone: +65 6828 0123 Email: [email protected] Chat: IT Help Centre eLearn Support IITS, Li Ka Shing Library Level 5 Mon-Fri 8:30am to 7:00pm Last enquiry at 6:30pm Closed on Sat, Sun and Public Holidays

  16. Q&A

    When is the Research Help desk open? Last Updated: Sep 01, 2021 | Topics: Articles; Catalogue; Citations; Databases; e-books; E-resources; ... [email protected]. [email protected]. 902-420-5544. 902-420-5544. Text 902-702-3057 for Research Help. Text 902-702-3057 for Research Help. Text 902-816-0748 for Noise Complaints. Text 902-816-0748 for Noise ...

  17. OIT and Earth Sciences Department Test Distributed Acoustic Sensing on

    Zach is a Senior IT Training & Communications Consultant with OIT. Zach began his SMU career at the IT Help Desk in 2012 and joined the Training & Communications Team in 2015. He is a 2011 graduate from the University of North Texas and obtained a Master of Liberal Studies degree from SMU in 2018.