Dr. Mariza Dima is a Senior Lecturer in Games Design at Brunel University London, affiliated with the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences. She specializes in User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design for immersive technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and haptic interfaces, with a focus on social justice and innovation. Director of Brunel Games Research Lab Active in interdisciplinary R&D projects bridging engineering and design Key research areas: immersive reality, applied games for social impact, co-creation methodologies Her research spans human-computer interaction, cultural heritage, and educational technology, supported by grants from the Arts & Humanities Research Council and institutional seed funding. She has pioneered remote design models and mixed-reality heritage experiences. Selected recent publications explore: AI integration in immersive tech development Ceremonial magic-inspired MR design Smart glass AR for heritage storytelling Serious games for migrant education Haptic interfaces in museum contexts Scientific contributions recognized through: UK Higher Education Academy Fellowship Publications in CHI, SIGGRAPH Asia, and ACM journals Collaborative grants for decolonization and educational innovation As an educator, she teaches: UI/UX Design for Games Games Programming (Python) Concept Communication Studio Practice
LouAnne Boyd is an Associate Professor at Chapman University within the Fowler School of Engineering and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science . Her work bridges Human-Computer Interaction and Neuroscience to develop Assistive and Accessible Technologies for Neurodiverse Populations including individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder , ADHD , and Dyslexia . She specializes in Virtual and Augmented Reality applications that address Sensory Processing Differences and Temporal Integration Challenges in neurodivergent users. Boyd's research explores Neuro-Inclusive Design through frameworks like the Sensory Accommodation Framework , focusing on Visual Attention Hierarchies , Temporal Processing in multisensory environments, and Global Filter Techniques to mitigate Local Interference in autism. Her projects often involve Collaborative Design Sprints with Neurodivergent Scholars to create Celebratory Technologies that reduce social stigma. 2014-2018 : Ph.D. in Informatics, University of California, Irvine (Mentor: Prof. Gillian Hayes) 1994-1996 : M.A. in Psychology, Towson University 1987-1991 : B.A. in Psychology, Washington University in Saint Louis Recent publications highlight her work in Temporal Processing in Autism (2024), VR Systems for Social Skills Development (2018), and Wearable Technologies for Proximity Awareness (2017). While no explicit Scientific Awards are listed in the provided texts, her collaborations with institutions like University of California, Irvine and University of Galway demonstrate interdisciplinary impact.
Rick Bingen (Class of 2015) is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Game Development at Carthage College. He holds dual degrees in Theatre and Computer Science from Carthage and integrates both disciplines in his career. Current Position: Full-time faculty member at Carthage College Education: B.A. in Theatre and Computer Science (Carthage College, 2015) His research and professional work focuses on game development , software engineering , and creative problem solving through theatrical expression. He developed Carthage's game development curriculum and has written plays like "Whirligig of Time." Key affiliations include: Carthage College (Alumnus and Faculty) Theatre community in Milwaukee
Antonio A. Sánchez Ruiz-Granados is an Associate Professor at the Complutense University of Madrid in the Department of Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Computer Science. He teaches courses on data structures, algorithms, human-computer interaction, video game programming, and artificial intelligence. Research Focus : AI in video games, knowledge representation, machine learning, user modeling, and case-based reasoning Key Projects : AI for game behavior, user modeling in games, decentralized peer review systems His recent publications span collaborative AI in games, VQA methods, diabetic retinopathy diagnosis, dynamic difficulty adjustment, and explainable CBR systems. Notable work includes flow induction in Tetris, Siamese network similarity analysis, and blockchain-based peer review ecosystems. While no explicit awards are listed, his work demonstrates leadership in game AI and open science initiatives. He has organized workshops and contributed to CBR research through proceedings editorship.
Angel Francisco Tenorio Villalón is a Professor in the Department of Economics, Quantitative Methods and Economic History at Pablo de Olavide University's Faculty of Business and Economics. His academic career spans mathematics, particularly Lie algebras, and their applications in business education. He earned his Doctorate from the University of Seville in 2003 with a thesis titled "LIE groups associated with nilpotent LIE algebras," supervised by Dr. Juan Carlos Benjumea Acevedo, Dr. Francisco Javier Echarte Reula, and Dr. Juan Núñez-Valdés. Tenorio Villalón's research focuses on Lie algebras, matrix representations, and the application of quantitative methods in business education. His work bridges pure mathematics with practical educational approaches, particularly in developing assessment methods for business students' mathematical competencies. He has contributed significantly to understanding filiform Lie algebras and their representations, as well as to educational methodologies like role-playing games and WebQuest applications in statistics education. His publications reveal a consistent pattern of research at the intersection of advanced algebra and educational innovation. The majority of his work focuses on Lie theory and its applications, while more recent publications emphasize educational methodologies and assessment techniques for business mathematics. Research Group: QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN BUSINESS / Quantitative Methods in Business and Economics Previous Affiliation: GEILEF Business Groups, Internationalization and Longevity of the Family Business His teaching activities include courses in mathematics for business students, with a particular focus on adapting educational approaches to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) framework. He has developed innovative assessment methods using symbolic computation packages to evaluate mathematical competencies without being hindered by operational difficulties.
Helena Margarida dos Santos Vasconcelos Gomes is an Assistant Professor at the School of Education of Viseu (Polytechnic Institute of Viseu), with a PhD in Mathematics (Spectral Graph Theory, 2018) and a Master's in Mathematics (Algebra and Systems Theory, 2006) from the University of Aveiro . She is a senior researcher at the Center for Research and Development in Mathematics and Applications (CIDMA) . Her work bridges Spectral Graph Theory and Mathematics Education , focusing on Early Childhood and Primary Education Algorithmic and Computational Thinking Humor in Mathematics Teaching Textbook Evaluation Teacher Training Programs Her research projects include EARLY (Robotics in Early Education), MindMaths (Flipped Learning for Math Anxiety), and Algolittle (Play-Based Algorithmic Skills). She has contributed to national and international studies on pedagogical content knowledge and interdisciplinary curriculum design. She supervises Master’s theses on topics like ICT in Geometry and teaching materials for Preschool Mathematics. Her recent publications analyze caterpillar graphs via H-join operations, Randic spectra, and humor integration in textbooks. Current affiliations : Assistant Professor, School of Education of Viseu (since 2018) Senior Researcher, CIDMA (since 2019) PhD Candidate, Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems Engineering, Porto Higher Institute of Engineering (since 2022)
Jordan Shapiro is an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Intellectual Heritage Program at Temple University's College of Liberal Arts. He also holds significant external affiliations as a senior fellow for the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and a Nonresident Fellow in the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution. His interdisciplinary work bridges psychology, philosophy, and economics to address contemporary issues in education, technology, and parenting. Shapiro's research interests focus on the intersection of digital technology and childhood development, feminist approaches to fatherhood, and innovative educational practices. His academic background in archetypal psychology and phenomenology informs his unique perspective on how technology is reshaping childhood and family dynamics. He challenges conventional wisdom about screen time and digital media, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of children's relationship with technology. His scholarly output shows a clear evolution from educational technology toward contemporary issues of digital parenting and gender roles in family structures. The earliest works focus on video games in education, while his more recent publications center on feminist fatherhood and digital childhood. This progression reflects his broader intellectual journey from educational technology to the cultural implications of digital life on family structures and parenting identities. Shapiro is an internationally recognized thought leader who previously wrote a widely-read Forbes column (2012-2017) on global education and digital play. His books, The New Childhood: Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World (2018) and Father Figure: How to be a Feminist Dad (2021), have been translated into multiple languages and featured in major media outlets including The Washington Post, New York Times, and NPR. As an international speaker and consultant, Shapiro combines psychological, philosophical, and economic perspectives to offer fresh insights on parenting in the digital age. His work has been cited by major institutions and has influenced the cultural conversation around technology use in childhood development and feminist approaches to fatherhood.
Dr. Benny Liebold is a researcher and junior lecturer at the Chair for Media Psychology , Institute of Media Research , Faculty of Humanities , Chemnitz University of Technology . His work focuses on cognitive and emotional processing in virtual environments, media effects, and human-computer interaction, particularly in digital game studies and virtual agents. Research Interests : Liebold investigates presence theory, emotion recognition in virtual agents, psychophysiology of immersive experiences, and the impact of natural user interfaces on gaming. His studies often integrate interdisciplinary approaches, combining psychology with computer science and communication studies. Article Trends : His publications emphasize virtual reality, presence, and emotional engagement. Recent works (2025–2017) explore breaks in presence, attentional mechanisms, and the evolution of gaming through psychophysiological and cognitive frameworks. Earlier studies (2013–2016) analyze stereoscopic media, social immersion, and modding for experimental research. Affiliations : Liebold is a member of the International Communication Association (ICA) , European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) , German Society for Psychology (DGPs) , and International Society for Presence Research (ISPR) .
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.
Prof. Dr. Stefan Wagner is a Full Professor of Software Engineering at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), where he leads the Chair of Software Engineering within the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology. Based at the TUM Campus Heilbronn, Prof. Wagner joined TUM in 2024 after serving as Professor of Empirical Software Engineering at the University of Stuttgart since 2011. His research has significant practical relevance, often conducted in collaboration with industry partners, particularly in automotive and AI-based software domains. Prof. Wagner's educational background spans multiple disciplines: Computer Science studies at Augsburg and Edinburgh Psychology studies at Hagen Doctorate in Computer Science from TUM (2007) His primary research interests focus on software engineering with particular emphasis on software quality, human factors in development processes, AI-supported engineering methods, and empirical studies. Prof. Wagner's work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, especially in automotive software systems and AI-based domains. His interdisciplinary approach, combining computer science with psychology, enables unique insights into developer behavior and software quality assessment. The research conducted at his chair addresses critical challenges in modern software development, including quality assurance in complex systems and the integration of artificial intelligence into engineering processes. Prof. Wagner's extensive publication record demonstrates evolving research trends from traditional software quality models toward increasingly sophisticated integration of AI and human factors in software development. His recent work shows a growing emphasis on empirical studies of developer behavior, AI-assisted programming, virtual reality applications in software engineering, and the psychological aspects of technical debt. The publications reveal a consistent focus on practical applicability while maintaining scientific rigor, with strong industry collaboration evident throughout his career. Prof. Wagner has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his contributions to software engineering: Class of IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Contributors (2022) Best Full Paper Award, ACM/IEEE International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement (2020) IEEE Computer Society TCSE Distinguished Paper Award, IEEE International Conference on Software Maintenance and Evolution (2019) Most Influential Paper Award, IEEE International Conference on Software Maintenance and Evolution (2017) Google Research Award (2009) Prof. Wagner actively mentors students and researchers, with several PhD candidates and master's students working under his supervision. His research is supported by various grants, including industry collaborations and competitive research funding. He serves on multiple editorial boards including IEEE Software and Empirical Software Engineering, contributing significantly to the academic community. At TUM, he chairs the aptitude assessment committee for the M.Sc. Information Engineering program and serves on the scientific board for the TUM Global Postdoc Fellowship. The Chair of Software Engineering at TUM Heilbronn maintains strong connections with industry partners, particularly in the automotive sector. The research group actively participates in multiple collaborative projects focusing on AI in software development, software quality assessment, and empirical studies of development practices. The team combines expertise in software engineering, psychology, and artificial intelligence to address complex challenges in modern software systems.
Erik Andersen is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering at Cornell University . His research focuses on Educational Technology , Human-Computer Interaction , and Game Design . He develops interactive systems that use games for education, particularly in programming and language learning domains. Teaching: CS/INFO 6360 (Educational Technology), CS/INFO 4154 (Analytics-driven Game Design) Key Collaborations: Working with Zoran Popović and Ross Knepper on educational game frameworks Research Themes include gamified learning, adaptive educational systems, and AI-driven progress analysis. His recent work explores progression synthesis in Korean language games and implicit communication in human-AI teams. He uses techniques from machine learning and data visualization to create effective educational tools. Scientific Recognition: Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Tucker '50 Teaching Award (2017) Minister of Education Japan Prize (2011) Grand Prize at Disney Learning Challenge (2010) Best Paper Nomination at AIIDE (2012)
Tomi Kauppinen serves as Head of Aalto Online Learning at Aalto University, where he leads the university's digital education initiatives through the Learning Services unit (U902). His position combines academic research with practical implementation of online and blended learning solutions across the university. Dr. Kauppinen's research spans multiple interconnected domains including Cognitive Systems, Information Visualization, Ubiquitous Computing, and Educational Sciences. His work focuses on human-centered approaches to digital learning environments, with particular emphasis on making online education more engaging, accessible, and effective. He has made significant contributions to the fields of semantic web technologies applied to education, game-based learning methodologies, and the design of virtual learning environments that enhance student participation. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward more immersive and interactive educational technologies. His work has evolved from foundational semantic web applications in education to cutting-edge implementations of 360° learning environments, game-based educational tools, and human-centered design approaches for online learning platforms. The interdisciplinary nature of his research bridges computer science, educational theory, and design principles to address contemporary challenges in digital education. EUNIS Dørup E-learning Award 2020 for 'Designing Digital Higher Education: Case Aalto Online Learning' 2016 Learning Contribution Achievement Award (awarded May 2017) for exemplary leadership in Aalto's digitalization project As Head of Aalto Online Learning, Kauppinen has played a pivotal role in developing operational models for teaching development across Aalto University. His work has significantly advanced the pedagogically sound digitalization of teaching at the institution. While specific grant information isn't detailed in the provided text, his extensive publication record suggests involvement in multiple research projects related to educational technology and semantic web applications in learning environments. Kauppinen's work with Aalto Online Learning functions as his primary research and development team, focusing on creating and implementing digital solutions for higher education. His collaborations extend across disciplines, frequently involving partnerships with game design researchers, educational specialists, and computer scientists to develop innovative learning approaches and production pipelines for educational content.
Sergio Sampedro Martín is a researcher at the Universidad de Huelva, affiliated with the Department of Integrated Didactics and the Research Center on Contemporary Thought and Innovation for Social Development. He leads the HUM168 research group 'Initial Training and Professional Development of Teachers (DESYM)'. Research Focus: Controversial heritage education, gamification in teacher training, socio-environmental issues integration, and urban art in civic education. Key Projects: Virtual industrial heritage museums, game-based methodologies for early childhood education, and school-museum collaborations. Methodologies: Gamified civic dialogue, role-playing games in primary education, Scratch programming for social science didactics. His recent work emphasizes eco-citizenship education through heritage studies, with publications spanning 2021-2025. No scientific awards are documented in the provided materials.
Heidi Marika Josefina Rautalahti is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Computer Science, Aalto University. Her work bridges game studies, human-computer interaction, and digital humanities, focusing on death-themed narratives, religious symbolism, and player experiences in interactive media. University: Aalto University Department: Department of Computer Science Academic Rank: Researcher Heidi’s research explores: Death anxiety alleviation through gameplay mechanics Design patterns in grief-processing games Interpretation of religious texts (e.g., Bible) in video games Player enjoyment of unresolved mysteries Emergent community storytelling in platforms like Roblox Cultural perspectives on end-of-life representation Her publications between 2023–2025 demonstrate cross-disciplinary engagement with topics spanning death positivity, fan communities, and tool development for literacy assessment. No scientific awards are currently listed for Heidi Rautalahti.
Robin Gustafsson is an Associate Professor of Strategic Management at Aalto University's Department of Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently on partial leave to co-found epicMeets, his research focuses on strategy and organization in technology-induced industry disruptions, with emphasis on digitalization and platform economy dynamics. His research examines competitive advantage in digital markets, platform/data business models, open science/innovation governance, and agile strategy work. He investigates how playfulness and visual tools like LEGO® Serious Play® enhance strategic cognition during industry transformations, bridging institutional theory with practical strategy execution. Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal three dominant trends: platform ecosystem strategies (particularly Big Tech acquisitions), cognitive aids in strategic decision-making, and sustainability-compliance intersections. His work consistently integrates strategic management with information systems and cognitive science perspectives. Scientific recognition includes: Nomination to The Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences in Finland (2013-) Emerald Literati Network Award for Excellence (2017) for temporal institutional analysis Advising spans 10 doctoral graduates (including Tomasz Mucha on ML in organizations and Niko Lipiäinen on value capture) and 24 named master's students across 50+ theses. Current research projects include IN2MISSION (mission-oriented innovation), digital history of telecom exchanges, and playfulness in strategy workshops. He facilitates global strategy workshops for corporations and governments using experiential methods, translating academic insights into agile strategy practices for the digital economy.
