Marientina Gotsis

Roles & Affiliations

Marientina Gotsis is a Professor of Practice at the Interactive Media & Games Division within the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California (USC). She also serves as a Visiting Professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine in Greece. As founder/director of USC's Creative Media & Behavioral Health Center (CMBHC), she leads The Garden, an inclusive interdisciplinary research lab focused on healthcare interventions through entertainment media. She co-founded the world's first Media Arts, Games & Health MA program (2015) and spearheaded USC's Games for Health Initiative since 2007.

Education

• BFA in Photography/Film/Interactive Media from UIC (Electronic Visualization Laboratory)
• MFA in Electronic Visualization from UIC EVL

Research Focus

Gotsis pioneers serious games addressing health challenges such as autism, PTSD, Parkinson's, obesity, and palliative care. Her work integrates VR, tabletop games, and social media to create accessible tools for:

• Therapeutic interventions
• Behavioral change
• Educational outreach

Notable creations include The Brain Architecture Game (2008) and Virtual Sprouts. She emphasizes co-design principles, involving patients and communities in development processes.

Grants & Collaborations

Her research has been funded by:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Department of Defense
• Children's Hospital Los Angeles

She collaborates across disciplines with institutions like Keck School of Medicine and the Shafallah Center for Special Needs Children.

Labs & Leadership

Leadership roles include:

• Former co-director, Center for Interactive Media Technologies in Healthcare (CIMTH)
• Co-director, SMART-VR Rehabilitation Center
• Advisor to 8+ health equity initiatives