Game of Thrones Fanship and Virtual Tourism to UNESCO World Heritage Site

Lab: Tourism & Leisure Lab 
Faculty Mentor: Professor Milazzo

Description:
This project explores how virtual reality technologies are used to experience UNESCO World Heritage sites. Students will help investigate how fanship and tourism intersect in digital spaces, including VR walking tours.

Benefits:

  • Hands-on training in qualitative research methods (interviews, transcription, coding, analysis)

  • Mentorship in academic writing and presenting

  • Opportunities to co-author research posters and papers

  • Travel to present research at a spring conference (past destinations: Vermont, Ireland, St. Louis, MO)

  • Strengthened résumé and preparation for graduate school or the job market

Remote Opportunity:
This research can be completed remotely from any Penn State campus if you are not located at Abington. Team meetings, training, and data work can be conducted online, making this an excellent opportunity for students studying at a distance from the Philadelphia-area.

 

Important Note:

This project has reached capacity for the 2025-2026 academic year. 

However, if you are interested in this project for summer 2026 or the 2026-2027 academic year(and are not already part of the lab), please proceed with the application information below. 

 

 

Campus(es): 
Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine, Carlisle, DuBois, Fayette, Great Valley, Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Hazleton, Hershey, Lehigh Valley, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Penn College, Schuylkill, Scranton, Shenango, University Park, University Park - IST, Wilkes-Barre, World Campus, York
Work Setting(s): 
Hybrid, On campus, Remote
Area(s): 
Any
Description of responsibilities and minimum qualifications: 

Qualifications:

  • Interest in tourism, cultural heritage, or virtual reality

  • Reliable and detail-oriented

  • Strong communication skills

  • No prior research experience required—training provided

Available Term(s): 
Academic Year, Fall, Spring
Position Type(s): 
Credit, Variable, Volunteer
Requested Materials: 

Please email Professor Milazzo (LMM6871@psu.edu) a copy of your resume.

Application Instructions: 

Please complete the following form to apply for a position on this project: https://forms.office.com/r/yR84XvxDgx

Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring Office
321 Boucke Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-8199 | urfm@psu.edu

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