June 9, 2008
Grand (Text Auto) Convergence
I’m pleased to announce that soon, for the first time, two of GTxA’s bloggers will be at the same institution. This summer I’ll be joining Michael in the Computer Science department at UC Santa Cruz!
Like Michael, I was recruited by a search committee headed by regular GTxA commenter Jim Whitehead — who was also the mastermind behind the UC system’s first computer game degree. As UCSC grows in this area, we’re looking forward to developing research relationships with other labs, groups, and companies, both in the SF Bay Area and beyond.
Students who’d like to work with us have three options: the previously-mentioned undergraduate degree, the Computer Science department’s graduate program, and the interdisciplinary Digital Arts and New Media MFA program (which also features such luminaries as Warren Sack, Sharon Daniel, and Margaret Morse). Part of what impressed me when visiting UCSC is how effectively they were already bringing together students from different backgrounds, pursuing different types of degrees, in an ongoing interdisciplinary conversation. I’m hoping to help expand and strengthen that.
Finally, I’m also not the only new hire in games and digital media at UCSC — but I’ll let Michael say more about that.
June 9th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Jim and I are totally psyched that Noah is joining us! We’re also thrilled to announce that Arnav Jhala, most recently of the Liquid Narrative Group at NC State, will be joining as well, after completing a one year appointment with our friends at ITU Copenhagen. UCSC is ramping up its computational media/games research group in a big way.
June 9th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
That’s very exciting news. Congratulations!
June 9th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Congratulations! UCSC is lucky to have you!
June 9th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
It’s great to hear that you will be joining UCSC ! Having you in the CS department will certainly strengthen the interdisciplinary nature of the degree program and will be of great value to everyone at UCSC.
I am looking forward to working with all the great colleagues at ITU and UCSC. I consider myself extremely lucky to get chance to look at (and possibly contribute to) Computer Games research from several different perspectives.
June 10th, 2008 at 6:11 am
Fantastic! I was hoping to make some trips down to UCSD to see you after I started with Michael at Santa Cruz, but it looks like I’ve just saved myself (and the planet) a lot of driving!
I am really stoked about this. Having both you guys in one place is just brilliant, brilliant news.
June 10th, 2008 at 7:28 am
Andrew and Yusuf, thanks for the congratulations. I hope we can convince you to come visit Santa Cruz some time.
Arnav and Chris, I’m looking forward to working with you. This is an exciting time to be heading to UCSC!
June 10th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Congrats!
June 11th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Noah, congratulations to you and to Michael for joining forces at UCSC. I’m sure the campus will be a productive place for you and your faculty and student collaborators.