Mary Flanagan

Mary Flanagan is the Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professor in Digital Humanities and Professor of Film and Media Studies at Dartmouth College, with affiliations at the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding. She directs the Tiltfactor Research Laboratory, focusing on games and playful systems for social impact. Her work bridges art, technology, and psychology, addressing equity, bias, and humanistic values in design.

Education:

• B.A., University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
• M.A. & M.F.A., University of Iowa
• Ph.D., Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London

Research Interests: Flanagan’s transdisciplinary practice explores critical play, game design for social change, and the intersection of technology with societal biases. Her work exposes systemic inequities through interactive art and games, emphasizing feminist AI, ethical design, and participatory systems. Notable projects include the Values at Play methodology and commercial games like Awkward Moment and Phantom Ink.

Recent Articles & Exhibitions: Recent work includes psychological studies on gender bias interventions, bystander intervention games, and AI ethics. Her art installations ([Grace:AI], [Mapscotch]) have been exhibited globally at institutions like the Guggenheim and Tate Britain.

Awards:

• 2018 Prix Ars Electronica Award (Interactive Art)
• ACLS Digital Innovation Fellowship
• Thoma Foundation Arts Writing Award
• World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer recognition

Grants & Labs: Supported by NSF, NEH, and NIJ grants, Flanagan’s Tiltfactor Lab develops games addressing public health, equity, and knowledge creation. Her work often involves collaborative design with psychologists, computer scientists, and artists.

Labs/Teams: Tiltfactor Research Laboratory (Dartmouth) focuses on innovative game design for societal impact, with projects like Pox: Save the People and Mechanica.