Marjorie Zielke

Marjorie Zielke is a Research Professor and Director of the Center for Simulation and Synthetic Humans at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas). She specializes in virtual human systems, medical simulation technologies, and interdisciplinary research at the intersection of arts, technology, and healthcare. Her academic roles include leading the Center for Modeling and Simulation, overseeing projects funded by NSF, NIH, and other agencies, and directing collaborations with institutions like Southwestern Medical Foundation and Sam Houston State University. Her work has been recognized with multiple awards, including first place at the International Meeting of Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) and IITSEC.

Education: PhD in Aesthetic Studies (UT Dallas, 2007), MBA (UT Arlington, 1980), and BS in Journalism (University of Illinois, 1977). Research focuses on virtual patients, augmented reality in medical training, and game-based learning platforms. She has pioneered projects like the Emotive Virtual Patient and the Individual Nystagmus Simulated Training Experience (INSITE), addressing clinical communication and law enforcement training needs.

Grants and Projects: Over $3M in funding for initiatives such as the NSF-funded Virtual Reality Graded Exposure (VRGE) program and the Texas Department of Transportation-supported INSITE project. She also leads the Virtual Dyslexia Therapist initiative under a Texas Scottish Rite Hospital grant. Teaching includes managing interactive media projects and graduate courses on cyberpsychology and autonomous technology design.