If you’ve ever taken a moment to realize the increasing impact that social media has on how today’s society is being shaped and how it will continue to do so, you’ll find that your interest is not unlike those at TSMRI (The Texas Social Media Research Institute). Our society is constantly changing and advancing to new heights, mostly due to the improvement of technology. Nearly every aspect of life, including how people meet and stay in touch with each other, is connected to the development of social media.

Through TSMRI’s efforts, research has been conducted concerning exactly how social media is shaping our very future. To share these findings, the Institute has assembled The Journal of Social Media in Society, or JSMS, which recently accomplished its first publication. The journal has been brought about through the efforts of Tarleton-based editors, including professors Dr. Sarah Maben and Dr. Credence Baker among others.

The journal is essentially a collaboration of the efforts of students and professors with a similar goal in mind; to research the aspects of social media today and how it will continue to affect everyone.

“With The Journal of Social Media in Society, we want to help distribute research on social media and mobile technologies and advance the body of knowledge,” said Dr. Maben.

The project has also involved the input of students, which has allowed for students to gain real-world experience to help prepare beyond their respective fields of study. Dr. Maben continued to state, “As educators, we also wanted to bring real-world experiences to our students, who help run TSMRI. Our student interns conduct research on social media news and developments, blog about social media, manage TSMRI’s social media, lead training workshops and host an annual conference with more than 200 attendees.” Students involved in the project include Tarleton State University’s own Hannah Miller and Maylee Friemel.

The JSMS came together after a large amount of submissions were collected and compiled to achieve the final product. “The overwhelming interest and number of submissions for our inaugural issue of JSMS has made launching this journal a rewarding labor of love. Readers will benefit because of the cross-disciplinary approach to focusing on something that now permeates our daily life – social media,” said Dr. Baker.

The future of the Institute depends on the continued success and support of the Journal and other projects. According to Dr. Maben, “TSMRI is really gaining ground as a premier research institute for social media and communication technology. The 2013 goals are focused on original research from our board members, and expanding our reach as an organization.”

The next issue of the JSMS can be expected in late April of this year. The publication can be found online at http://thejsms.org.