Elena Germain Bertozzi

Dr. Elena Germain Bertozzi serves as Professor of Game Design and Development, Chair of Visual and Performing Arts, and Director of the Games Design & Development program at Quinnipiac University's College of Arts and Sciences. Based in CAS 1 322 with mail drop CL-AC1, she actively collaborates across disciplines—particularly with the Frank Netter School of Medicine—and welcomes media inquiries regarding her work in applied game design.

Her academic credentials include:

• BA from Williams College
• MS from Indiana University Bloomington
• MLS from Indiana University Bloomington
• PHD from European Graduate School Leuk Stadt

Dr. Bertozzi's research centers on games for health and the intersections of gender, technology, and sexuality, specializing in low-cost 2D games that drive behavioral change in public health contexts. She investigates how interactive technologies enhance technological self-efficacy while addressing taboos in digital gameplay, with emphasis on reproductive health, HIV/STI prevention, and gender empowerment through games for good initiatives.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals three dominant research trajectories: (1) Digital health interventions targeting reproductive health in low-resource settings (Barbados, India, Mexico), (2) Critical examinations of gender representation in commercial games like Grand Theft Auto, and (3) Foundational design principles for learning games that foster emotional resonance. Her work consistently bridges academic theory with practical applications, often through cross-institutional medical partnerships.

While no specific scientific awards are documented, Dr. Bertozzi secured competitive funding including a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant for the 'What's My Method?' digital health project. Her academic service spans the CAS Diversity and Inclusion Committee, IEEE Games Entertainment Media Conferences organization, and the International Game Developers Association's Learning SIG.

She mentors Game Design & Development students through capstone projects with medical students and external partners like Take-Two Interactive, while leading research teams that collaborate with healthcare professionals to create behavior-change games. Current initiatives focus on optimizing mobile game utility for public health decision-making and expanding contraceptive self-care tools in the Caribbean.