Gillian Smith

Gillian Smith is an Associate Professor in the Computer Science department at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Director of the Interactive Media & Game Development program since 2021. Her interdisciplinary research bridges AI, human-computer interaction, and traditional crafts to address social justice and education equity.

• PhD, MS, and BS in Computer Science from University of California Santa Cruz and University of Virginia

Her research focuses on generative design, computational creativity, and feminist approaches to game development. She leads the NSF-funded Code Crafters project, which teaches computational thinking through quilting, and co-created games like Threadsteading (embroidery machine gameplay) and eBee (electricity education via quilting). She also explores ungrading pedagogy to shift assessment paradigms in STEM education.

Recent scholarly work emphasizes applications of procedural content generation in games and crafts. Articles like “My Brain Does Not Function That Way” (2022) analyze intersections between computing education and textile arts, while her 2016 Threadsteading project redefines interaction with fabrication devices.

Key Awards:

• 2016 Indiecade award for Threadsteading
• WPI Board of Trustees’ Outstanding Academic Advising award (2020)
• PIT-UN network participant (2021)

Smith advises projects across WPI’s labs, including the Crafting Computational Creativity Research Group and Interaction Lab. She has secured over $300K in NSF funding for computational thinking initiatives and collaborates with Disney Research Pittsburgh. Her work aligns with UN SDGs for Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Reducing Inequality (SDG 10).