1. What is your name and pronouns?
Mavis Siu (she/her)
2. What is your research interest and why?
My research interests include documentary and video art, aesthetic and social film histories, and more. I am particularly drawn to the documentation/re-presentation of unrecorded histories and forgotten memories, including the traumas associated with them.
3. What drew you to UW?
The primary reason I was drawn to UW is definitely the expertise of the CMS faculty, I have been able to identify faculty specializations that closely align with my interests by exploring their publications. Additionally, I was impressed by the friendliness of the Graduate Studies Committee during the interview; they answered my questions thoroughly and gave me a true sense of the department’s welcoming atmosphere.
4. What have you found most rewarding and impactful about the program so far?
The supportive faculty and safe academic environment allow me to replace fear of the unknown with curiosity. This nurturing setting enables me to delve into an interdisciplinary understanding of the field and explore various pedagogical techniques,through both coursework and research assistant tasks.
5. What advice would you give to undergraduate students considering a graduate program?
Ask yourself – “Why do I want to pursue a graduate degree?” – having a solid “why” in mind can help clarify your next step(s). Once you identify that “why,” take your time to find the right program fit, then embrace the application and trial-and-error learning process that follows.
6. What is your favorite movie and why?
I have never been a fan of “favorite” questions…. but perhaps I can share a challenging film I encountered at a Film Festival last year: Forms of Forgetting (Burak Çevik, 2023). This film continues to resonate with me, particularly because of its puzzling viewing experience. The intricate layering of confusing audio and easy-to-miss subtitles serves the artistic purpose and bears a resemblance to the subject matter – human memory.