Joseph C. Osborn

Joseph C. Osborn is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Pomona College, where he has been a faculty member since 2018. He is affiliated with the FAIM Lab (Formal Analysis and Interactive Media Lab), which focuses on the intersection of AI, game design, and formal methods for interactive systems.

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of California, Santa Cruz
• M.F.A. in Interactive Media, University of Southern California
• B.S. in Software Engineering and Computer Science (Double Major), Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

His research explores how AI and formal verification techniques can support and enhance the design of interactive systems, particularly video games. Drawing from both computer science and fine arts backgrounds, he develops novel knowledge representations to help designers understand the implications of their design choices. His work spans software model checking, machine learning, game studies, and HCI, with a focus on enabling computational systems to reason about interactivity.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend in automated game analysis, procedural content generation, and formal modeling of game mechanics. He has developed tools like Mappy for automatic NES game mapping and contributed to hybrid system modeling of action games. His research integrates symbolic reasoning, dynamic analysis, and AI to support creative design processes.

• Best Student Paper, AIIDE 2017
• Best Paper Honorable Mention, Foundations of Digital Games 2017
• Outstanding TA Award 2016–2017
• Best Paper Nomination, Foundations of Digital Games 2015

He advises student research through the FAIM Lab and has taught courses in AI, computational logic, software verification, and game development. His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical creative applications in interactive media.