CIM401 Graduate Studio 2
Graduate Seminar persentations Reflections
Chris Mcalpine: Career launchpad: graduate-seminars-2025-11-10T05:09:34Z-recording.mp4 - Google Drive
Chris McAlpine’s session made me think differently about how I present myself as a creative professional. I liked his idea that LinkedIn is not just a digital résumé, but a research tool for finding “who’s who” in businesses, grant bodies, and organisations, instead of just sending generic emails and hoping for the best (McAlpine, 2025, 00:52–01:53). This shifted my view from seeing LinkedIn as something I “should” have, to something I can actively use for strategy and networking.
He described the Format portfolio as a kind of “scrapbook” for all the professional aspects of what you do—showreel, project breakdowns, about page, and contact links—all in one place (McAlpine, 2025, 6:01–6:44).
The fact that students get full access while studying and for six months after graduation also emphasised the importance of using this time to build a strong online presence (McAlpine, 2025, 8:02–8:18).
a creative professional is not only about making good work, but also about understanding the business side so you don’t undersell yourself. The workshops he mentioned on pricing and freelancing made that feel more approachable.
Towards the end, what stayed with me most was his emphasis on networks and relationships as the key to a sustainable creative career. He suggested treating contacts like valued clients—staying in touch, showing appreciation, and building long-term trust (McAlpine, 2025, 21:40–22:32). In the context of AI, he argued that what really sets us apart is our critical thinking, personal style, and ability to explain our value, especially when someone asks, “Why shouldn’t I just use an AI tool?” (McAlpine, 2025, 24:30–25:27). That idea made me feel more confident that developing my craft and my relationships can still matter a lot, even in an AI-heavy future.
Reference
- McAlpine, C. (2025). Career launchpad [Video transcript provided by user].
Pablo Muslera: Imaginings Journal: graduate-seminars-2025-11-24T05:03:14Z-recording.mp4 - Google Drive
For me, this session showed that publishing doesn’t have to feel intimidating or only for “real academics.” Pablo’s explanation of the Imaginings Journal made me realise that creative practice, reflection, and even small experiments with ideas can all be valid submissions—not just polished research (Muslera, 2025, 3:02–3:23; 8:12–9:03). I liked how he described the process as supportive rather than judgmental, with editors helping shape the writing instead of just critiquing it (Muslera, 2025, 10:20–11:09). What stayed with me most was that creativity can appear in many forms, even in technical or methodological work, as long as we connect it to our thinking and process (Muslera, 2025, 22:00–22:17).
Reference
- Muslera, P. (2025). Imaginings Journal information session [Video transcript provided by user].
Colin Webber: Views from the bridges: Colin Webber 13 Oct 2025.mp4 - Google Drive
Colin Webber’s discussion showed me how quickly technology—especially AI—is changing the way we do research and creative work. He explains that traditional research methods are now too slow because the “environment is moving so fast” (Webber, 2025, 00:37–01:04). I found this idea relevant because it highlights why creatives and educators need more flexible ways to explore new ideas.
One point that stood out is his use of science fiction as a research method. Instead of waiting for long academic studies, he uses storytelling to imagine possible futures for AI and education (Webber, 2025, 02:02–02:15). This helped me see fiction not just as entertainment, but as a tool for thinking about complex, future problems.
I was also interested in how Webber uses Claude AI as a creative partner. He describes how the AI helped track characters, timelines, and “what-if” scenarios while writing his stories (Webber, 2025, 08:54–11:41). His analogy of collaborating with AI like working with session musicians made the process feel dynamic and human (Webber, 2025, 17:00–18:12).
Finally, the stories are not predictions, but “one possibility” to help us think about what we should prepare for or avoid (Webber, 2025, 19:10–19:23). Overall, the talk showed me how creative thinking and AI collaboration can open new ways of researching and imagining the future.
Reference
- Webber, C. (2025). Colin Webber talk on creative process and AI [Video transcript provided by user].