Pictured left to right: Katheryn Wright, MA, Alexander Cattani, Morgan Smith, William Swearingin, Erin Boc, John Thomas Levee, MFA, and Jonathan Banfill, PhD

The Champlain College SOCKS Team presented an amazing collection of Vermont sounds at a SOCKS-wide Research Meeting on March 23, 2026, offering insights into their extensive research into the Sonic Experiences of Place in Vermont project. Jonathan Banfill, PhD, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Champlain College, introduced his research group which included SOCKS Social Team members John Thomas Levee, MFA, Assistant Professor of Game Sound Design at Champlain College, and Katheryn Wright, MA, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Digital Humanities at Champlain College.

The Sonic Experiences of Place in Vermont project is a comprehensive study of soundscapes in rural and urban areas, with a focus on the relationships that exist between sound, place, and identity in Vermont. This SOCKS initiative includes the creation of a sound database via recorders placed in select rural and urban areas in Vermont. From November 2025 to April 2026, the team gathered sonic data from 20 locations. The team's next steps include the development of tools to analyze the database and study how sounds that people might take for granted influence their lives and contribute to their sense of identity.

The recurring SOCKS Research Meetings provide an opportunity for research teams to present their work to the broader SOCKS audience, with an eye toward networking and collaboration. Approximately 25 SOCKS team members attended the presentation and participated in the discussion of next steps that followed.