Jessica FitzPatrick

Jessica FitzPatrick is a Teaching Associate Professor and Director of the Digital Narrative and Interactive Design (DNID) program at the University of Pittsburgh. She holds an affiliation with the Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences and is based in the Department of English. Her roles include directing the DNID program, overseeing the Digital Media Lab (DML), and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams across the School of Computing and Information.

Education: Earned her doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh.

Research focuses on postcolonial theory, speculative fiction, spatial studies, and new media creation. Recent projects include Hacking the Future: the Space and Place of Earth in Postcolonial Science Fiction and the Secret Pittsburgh Digital Guidebook. She emphasizes community-driven pedagogy, integrating narrative with technology and fostering accessible design through initiatives like the Welcomed by Design podcast and the Games 4 Social Impact Jam.

Affiliations include August Wilson House, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American Studies, Digital Media Lab, First Year Programs, Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies, Homewood CEC, Homewood Children's Village, and multiple campus and community partnerships. She organizes the annual Digital Media & Design Showcase and connects campus and Pittsburgh communities via digital media workshops.