Curriculum Vitae

Spencer Striker, PhD

Curriculum Vitae | October 2026

Professor of Digital Media Design | Northwestern University in Qatar
Education City | Doha, Qatar | m. +974-3397-6855
spencer.striker@northwestern.edu | spencerstriker.com

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PROFILE

Digital media designer and producer whose career spans studio production, venture-backed startups, and higher education. Creator of History Adventures, a cross-platform digital learning series, and of released titles including Chaos Corp, Dr. Sara: Disease Detective, Plague of Athens VR, and the AI-animated docudrama Al-Khwarizmi. More than $1 million in competitive funding, including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Science Foundation, and industry honors including Anthem, Webby, and Reimagine Education awards.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

  • 2025–presentProfessor of Digital Media Design, Northwestern University in Qatar
  • 2019–2025Associate Professor of Digital Media Design, Northwestern University in Qatar
  • 2018–2019Associate Professor of Digital Media & Coordinator of the Digital Media Program, American University in Dubai
  • 2015–2018Assistant Professor of Digital Media, American University in Dubai
  • 2009–2012Co-Founder, Lecturer, Media Arts & Game Development Program, University of Wisconsin at Whitewater

INDUSTRY AND CREATIVE LEADERSHIP

  • 2013–2015Founding Creative Director, Galxyz Inc.
  • 2013Producer & Product Manager, Kno Inc.
  • 2007–2012Founder, Executive Producer, GameZombie TV

EDUCATION

  • 2012PhD, Digital Media, University of Wisconsin at Madison
    Focus: Digital Media & Learning, Game Media, Mobile App Design
  • 2008MS, Media, Design & Production, Indiana University at Bloomington
    Focus: New Media Production and Design, Entrepreneurship, Game Media
  • 2001BS, BA, Radio-TV-Film | History, University of Texas at Austin
    Highest Honors, Phi Beta Kappa

MEDIA WORK

Original productions across mobile games, interactive books, virtual reality, AI-animated video, and podcasts, developed with competitive grant funding and released free to learners worldwide. Full entries follow the selected works below.

SELECTED WORKS

  • 2026Al-Khwarizmi: Father of Algebra & the Algorithm. AI-animated docudrama series; Doha Film Institute grant; Qumra 2026 Series Lab.
  • 2025Chaos Corp: Troll Farm Simulator. iOS and Android strategy game; 2025 Anthem Award and Reimagine Education Gold.
  • 2024Generation Revolution. Web-based interactive learning prototype; NEH Digital Projects for the Public.
  • 2024Black Death Interactive. iPad and web; 2024 Horizon Interactive Best of Category.
  • 2023Plague of Athens VR. Meta Quest, Steam VR, and Pico; 2024 Reimagine Education Bronze.
  • 2021Empires & Interconnections. Apple Books, iPad, and Android; 2024 Anthem Award, Best Literacy Platform.
  • 2021Dr. Sara: Disease Detective. iOS and Android; 50,000+ downloads; HBKU Innovation Center grant.
  • 2020Revolutions & Industrialization. Apple Books and Chromebook; Horizon Interactive Gold.
  • 2016Blue Apprentice. Galxyz mobile science game; $4 million Series A studio built on the original concept.
  • 2007GameZombie TV. 500+ videos and 10 million views; 2010 Webby Award.

CINEMATIC AND INTERACTIVE HISTORY

Al-Khwarizmi: Father of Algebra & the Algorithm

2026 | Animated docudrama series and 45-minute cinematic edition Project page

Role: Creator, writer, producer and AI animation director

An AI-animated docudrama about the scholar whose breakthroughs in algebra and systematic calculation helped lay the foundations of the digital world. Follows Al-Khwarizmi from Central Asia to Baghdad’s House of Wisdom, then traces the movement of his ideas along the Silk Road and into Europe. Cinematic dramatization and historian interviews connect the intellectual world of the Islamic Golden Age to contemporary computing and artificial intelligence.

Released free on YouTube as 30 short episodes and a complete cinematic edition. Originally developed as Legacy of Light: The House of Wisdom.

Funding: Doha Film Institute Web Series Grant, $30,000.

Recognition: Qumra 2026 Series Lab; 2026 QS Reimagine Education nomination, Immersive Experiential Learning. Early stages of the work presented at the Rawabet Conference, Government Communications Forum, and Web Summit Qatar 2026.

Watch the film | Watch the 30-episode series | DFI project listing

Project and production details

HISTORY ADVENTURES

History Adventures: World of Characters

2017–present | Cross-platform digital learning series Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

A series of interactive history experiences combining animation, narrative choices, and historical research. The portfolio includes Al-Khwarizmi, Empires & Interconnections, Revolutions & Industrialization, Generation Revolution, and the Global Pandemics series. Developed in partnership with Northwestern’s Center for Talent Development, the work brings historical choices and their consequences into digital learning.

Projects have been piloted in schools in California, Arizona, Minnesota, and Spain, with additional use at Northwestern and a VR deployment in a Dubai hospital.


Funding: National Endowment for the Humanities; Northwestern University’s Innovation and New Ventures Office and grants for applied educational research.

Recognition: 2022 Anthem Silver; Horizon Interactive Gold; 2022 Reimagine Education Middle East Gold for Plague of Athens Chromebook, among others.

Explore the series | Read the CTD classroom account

Empires & Interconnections

2021, 2023 | Apple Books Interactive, iPad and Android tablet Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

Six interwoven lives reveal the upheavals of 1450–1750, when expanding empires and global exchange transformed the world. Learners encounter historical choices through animated storytelling and interactive exploration. First produced for Apple Books Interactive, the work was substantially rebuilt in Unity as native iPad and Android tablet apps, with new engineering and reworked artwork.

Funding: Northwestern University’s Innovation and New Ventures Office, N.XT Ed Tech Seed Funding.

Recognition: 2024 Anthem Award, Best Literacy Platform; 2023 Viddy Gold, Best Trailer; Horizon Interactive Gold, Mobile Apps for Education; Reimagine Education nomination.

Play on iPad | Play on Android tablet | Read and explore on Apple Books

Revolutions & Industrialization

2020, 2021 | Apple Books Interactive and Chromebook web app Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

Five characters across the world confront the human costs of technological and economic transformation between 1750 and 1900. Interactive narrative and animation ask learners to weigh the promises of progress against the people it displaced. First created for Apple Books Interactive, the experience was rebuilt with Google’s Flutter SDK for browser delivery, a separate development cycle that extended the work to Chromebooks.

Recognition: Horizon Interactive Gold, Mobile Apps for Education; 2020 Reimagine Education nomination, Best Educational App.

Play in Chrome Desktop Browser | Read and explore on Apple Books

Generation Revolution

2024 | Web-based interactive learning prototype Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

A completed public prototype developed through an NEH Digital Projects for the Public Discovery grant. Set in New York from 1770 to 1800, this special edition of History Adventures explores the difficult choices ordinary people faced during the American Revolution. Designed for students and museum audiences and launched in summer 2024 for desktop Chrome.

Funding: National Endowment for the Humanities, Digital Projects for the Public, Discovery Phase, $30,000.

Explore the playable web prototype

GLOBAL PANDEMICS

Global Pandemics

2021–2025 | Interactive history series within History Adventures Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

Explores how people confronted pandemics through narrative decisions, historical context, and public-health learning. Completed projects are Plague of Athens VR, Black Death Interactive, and Plague of Athens Chromebook.

Funding: Qatar National Research Fund; Northwestern’s Innovation and New Ventures Office and grants for applied educational research.

Plague of Athens VR

2023, 2024 | Immersive virtual reality for Meta Quest, Steam VR and Pico Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

An immersive reconstruction of Athens during the plague of 429 BCE. Players inhabit a physician’s world, moving through a fully realized 3D city as illness and social breakdown test medical judgment and human responsibility. Built specifically for VR, the experience combines spatial interaction, historical storytelling, and learning about epidemiology. Its research addresses immersive learning as an alternative when crisis or lockdown interrupts conventional education.

Funding: Qatar National Research Fund, VR as a Hybrid Learning Solution for Education, $50,000; Undergraduate Research Experience Program, $30,000; Northwestern Provost Faculty Grant.

Recognition: 2024 Reimagine Education Bronze, Immersive Experiential Learning; 2024 Davey Gold, Best Immersive Experience.

Experience on Meta Quest | Experience on Steam VR | Experience on Pico

Black Death Interactive

2024 | iPad app; 2025 | Responsive web app Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

“Forty Days” follows Giana, a baker’s daughter in plague-stricken Venice, as she faces an impossible choice: abandon her sick father and flee, or remain to care for him. Animation, interaction, sound, and historical context turn a personal survival story into an exploration of responsibility during the Black Death. Developed for iPad and as a responsive browser experience.

Funding: Northwestern INVO N.XT Ed Tech Seed Funding; Alumnae of Northwestern University, $5,000; Artificial Intelligence and Media Lab (AIM-LAB).

Recognition: 2024 Horizon Interactive Awards, Best of Category; 2024 Reimagine Education nomination, Immersive Experiential Learning; Curious Refuge AI Horror Competition honorable mention for the title sequence, 2024.

Play on iPad | Play in a browser

Plague of Athens Chromebook

2022 | Interactive web app for desktop Chrome and Chromebooks Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

A 2D interactive learning experience following Nikos, a physician sworn to the Hippocratic Oath during the plague of 429 BCE. Web animation, branching decisions, and historical evidence place learners inside dilemmas about care, contagion, and civic life. This browser production shares the VR project’s historical setting and central character, with its own design, engineering, and interaction model.

Funding: Northwestern Provost Faculty Research Grant; Northwestern | Qatar research support for applied educational research.

Recognition: 2022 Reimagine Education Middle East Gold; 2023 Anthem Bronze

Play on desktop Chrome browser

MEDIA LITERACY GAMES

Chaos Corp: Troll Farm Simulator

2025 | iOS and Android mobile strategy game Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

A satirical strategy game that puts players in charge of a disinformation agency manipulating a fictional Philippine election. Players deploy deepfakes, bot campaigns, astroturfing, and reputation attacks while balancing electoral influence against exposure and social collapse. Developed with media and politics expertise, the game uses role reversal to make the machinery of digital deception visible. Launched at Web Summit Qatar 2025 and released free on iPhone and Android.

Funding: Institute for Advanced Study in the Global South, $25,000; Northwestern Provost’s Office.

Recognition: 2025 Reimagine Education Gold, Nurturing Values and Ethics; 2025 Anthem Silver, Responsible Technology: Education or Literacy Platform; 2025 w3 Silver, Best Mobile Games.

Play on iPhone | Play on Android

STEM LEARNING GAMES

Dr. Sara: Disease Detective

2021 | iOS and Android mobile learning game Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

An action-adventure visual novel that turns epidemic investigation into detective work. Players help an Epidemic Intelligence Officer trace outbreaks through character dialogue, investigation, and puzzles involving contact tracing, network science, fomites, and vectors. Released free worldwide for iPhone and Android, over 50,000 organic global downloads.

Funding: HBKU Innovation Center Rapid Response Grant, $27,000.

Recognition: Teacher Approved on Google Play; 2021 Reimagine Education nomination, Best Educational App; 2022 EdTech Digest Cool Tool nomination.

Play on iPhone | Play on Android | Project details

Blue Apprentice | Galxyz

2016 | Mobile science-learning game; creative development, 2013–2015 Project page

Role: Founding Creative Director

Led product and creative development at Galxyz from concept to venture-backed startup, developing an intergalactic science adventure that combines narrative, experimentation, and play. Directed the original game concept, built up the studio, ran the production team 2013–2015; released as Blue Apprentice in 2016.

Funding: $4 million in Series A investment from Relay Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and Laurene Powell Jobs’ Emerson Collective.

Watch the launch trailer

Original gameplay demo

PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT

CLIP

2026–present | Bilingual AI-literacy learning game, in development

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

A rogue AI tutor becomes the basis for a learning game about how AI works, where it fails, and how students can question its output. Developed from the NexTutor initiative for English- and Arabic-language use. Phase 1 combines prototype development with IRB-approved school-based testing in Doha, with findings intended to guide the next bilingual production phase.

Funding: Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, Life-Long Education Call (LiLEC), $41,000 (shared grant with 50% P(DOOM)).

Read the Design Spec

50% P(DOOM)

2026–present | Screenlife AI-literacy game, in development

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

A 13-year-old is unexpectedly put in charge of the world’s largest AI company after a disastrous product launch. Calls, texts, news alerts, leaked documents, and timed decisions turn AI literacy into an unfolding corporate crisis. The playable prototype explores model training, hallucinations, alignment, deepfakes, copyright, regulation, and the social consequences of AI, using a screenlife format developed through AI-assisted coding.

Funding: Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, Life-Long Education Call (LiLEC), $41,000 (shared grant with CLIP).

Watch video capture of the playable prototype

Chaos Corp 2: Serpent of House Sung

2026–present | iOS and Android mobile game, in development Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

The sequel moves Chaos Corp’s media-literacy framework into a Korean family conglomerate. Players become an underestimated adopted strategist in a succession struggle, using deepfakes, false leaks, astroturfing, and reputation attacks to expose the mechanics of corporate disinformation. An existing playable prototype is being developed through narrative implementation, art, cinematics, and iterative testing.

Funding: Buffett Institute Global Collaboration Grant, $5,000; AIM-LAB project support.

Watch video capture of the playable prototype

Dr. Sara 2: Zero-G Protocol

2026–present | iOS and Android mobile learning game, in development Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

Dr. Sara investigates a mysterious bioluminescent rash aboard the International Space Station, consulting remotely with astronauts and Mission Control. Designed for ages 9–12, the playable prototype combines investigation scenes, hidden-object sequences, science mini-games, and a final diagnostic puzzle. The story introduces microgravity, quarantine, disease transmission, and life-support systems through a space-based public-health mystery.

Funding: Dean’s Merit-Based Faculty Supplementary Support Fund, Northwestern University in Qatar, $5,000.

Watch video capture of the playable prototype

PODCASTS AND MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM

Rendered by Robots: AI & the Future of Design Education

2025–2026 | Eight-part podcast and video interview series Project page

Role: Creator and host

Created and hosted more than eight hours of original conversations with leading voices in academia, journalism, and the creative industries about AI’s effect on creative education. The series connects curriculum research with public debate about authorship, learning, assessment, and the changing work of designers and educators.

Funding: Alumnae Award for Curriculum Innovation, Northwestern University, $12,500; AIM-LAB.

YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast details

Interview selections:

QatarPodcasts.com

2020–present | Podcast platform

Role: Founder

Founded a platform for Qatar-based podcast production, including Digital Doha, Qandid Qatar, and Qatar in Quotes. Qandid Qatar features conversations with prominent Qatar-based figures, while Qatar in Quotes focuses on ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

Funding: Qatar National Research Fund.

Listen at QatarPodcasts.com

Digital Doha Podcast

2021–2023 | Research podcast within QatarPodcasts.com Project page

Role: Founder, Principal Investigator and host

Served as Principal Investigator and host for a podcast exploring digital media innovation in Qatar, the Middle East, and the wider region. Used long-form interviews as qualitative research within a multiyear study of augmented reality, virtual reality, and other emerging media.

Funding: Qatar National Research Fund.

Listen to all Digital Doha episodes

Interview selections:

EARLIER PODCASTS AND MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM

Dubai Wave Podcast

2017–2019 | Podcast interview series Project page

Role: Founder

Founded a podcast exploring Dubai through in-depth conversations about its art, technology, entrepreneurship, music, fitness, and food cultures. Produced with university staff and students at the American University in Dubai. Featured among the UAE’s best podcasts in What’s On Dubai, August 2017.

Explore the podcast archive

Interview selections:

Digital Dubai Podcast

2016–2017 | Podcast interview series Project page

Role: Creator and host

Launched in March 2016 with topical conversations about Dubai’s developing digital economy. Recorded at the American University in Dubai in Media City, with students contributing to production and participating as a live studio audience.

Explore the podcast archive | Watch the interview collection

Interview selections:

GameZombie TV

2007–2012 | Game journalism and original video production Project page

Role: Founder and Executive Producer

Built a student-powered game-media studio at Indiana University and the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. Published more than 500 original videos, conducted over 200 exclusive developer interviews, and secured press credentials for 20 international game conferences, including GDC, E3, CES, PAX, GenCon, and Comic-Con. Distribution partnerships included YouTube, Dailymotion, and Metacafe; the work generated more than 10 million earned views.

The original gaming-news variety show ButtonMashers was produced in IU’s $2.5 million HDTV studio and became a prominent YouTube series in summer 2009. GameZombie subsequently formed a centerpiece of the Media Arts & Game Development program at UW–Whitewater, linking professional production with project-based media education.

Recognition: 2010 Webby Award and People’s Voice Webby Award; Webby Honoree distinctions in 2008 and 2009.

Watch ButtonMashers | Explore GameZombie Webby Reels | Project archive

Interview selections:

TechZombie TV

2010–2012 | Digital media interview series Project page

Role: Creator and host

Brought leading digital thinkers into his Social Media Optimization & the New Web class at UW–Whitewater through recorded video conversations. Guests included Craig Newmark, Guy Kawasaki, John Battelle, Michael Chorost, Siva Vaidhyanathan, and Kevin Kelly, connecting students directly with practitioners shaping digital culture.

Interview selections:

Games, Learning & Society Interview Series

2011 | Researcher interview series

Role: Producer and Host

Produced an original interview series with leading games-and-learning scholars for the Games, Learning & Society initiative. The production involved UW–Whitewater Media Arts & Game Development students recording on location.

Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through Games, Learning & Society, $5,000.

Interview selections:

EARLY INNOVATIONS

Conscribo

2018 | Interactive narrative learning prototype Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

The original prototype for the animated, narrative-driven learning concept that became History Adventures. Follows Duro, a young Roman citizen descended from an enslaved Dacian family, into the dangers of second-century Rome. Premiered at Step Conference Dubai in 2018.

Recognition: Dubai Smartpreneur 2.0 Competition nomination, 2017; Step Conference startup showcase, 2018.

Explore the prototype and production archive

Twisted Cargo

2015, 2017 | Digital graphic novel Project page

Role: Creator, Producer, Design Director

A digital graphic novel of the zombie apocalypse, originally designed for UAE Innovation Week in November 2015 and published on the international MadeFire MotionBook platform in fall 2017. Built for iPad using interactive motion effects, parallax, panoramas, sound design, and an original score. The production archive preserves the work after MadeFire closed.

View the production archive

GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS

Over $1 million in competitive funding, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Science Foundation, Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, Doha Film Institute, Buffett Institute, and the Institute for Advanced Study in the Global South.

MAJOR COMPETITIVE AWARDS

  • 2025Doha Film Institute Web Series Grant, $30,000 (Lead PI). Al-Khwarizmi (formerly Legacy of Light).
  • 2025Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (QRDI) Life-Long Education Call (LiLEC), $41,000 (Lead PI). CLIP and 50% P(Doom); (formerly NexTutor AI).
  • 2025Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (QRDI) and Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities (RACA) Modernizing Charitable Sector Call, $41,000. Sadaqah Stories AI Game Platform (PI; Lead PI: Wajdi Zaghouani).
  • 2025Buffett Institute Global Collaboration Grant, $5,000 (Lead PI). Chaos Corp 2: Serpent of House Sung.
  • 2023National Science Foundation (NSF) National Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Program, $50,000 (Lead PI)
  • 2023Institute for Advanced Study in the Global South – Research Grant, $25,000 (Lead PI)
  • 2022National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): Digital Projects for the Public – Discovery Phase, $30,000 (Lead PI)
  • 2022Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP), $30,000 (Lead PI). Plague of Athens VR.
  • 2021Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF): VR as Hybrid Learning Solution for Education, $50,000 (Lead PI)
  • 2021Northwestern University Innovation and New Ventures Office (INVO), N.XT Ed Tech Seed Funding, $25,000 (Lead PI)
  • 2021Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Innovation Center, Rapid Response Grant, $27,000 (Lead PI)
  • 2020Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) National Priorities Research Program (NPRP), $483,000 (team award; Lead PI: S. Venus Jin).
  • 2016Oxford Summer Research Institute Fellowship, $20,000
  • 2011Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Games, Learning, & Society, $5,000

INSTITUTIONAL AND PROJECT AWARDS

  • 2026Scholarly Project Development Fellowship, Northwestern University in Qatar. One-course release, Fall 2027.
  • 2026Dean’s Merit-Based Faculty Supplementary Support Fund, $5,000. Al-Khwarizmi mobile micro-drama series edition.
  • 2026Academic Leave with Full Support, Spring 2026.
  • 2026Artificial Intelligence and Media Lab (AIM-LAB) project support, $8,000.
  • 2025NU-Q Creative Development Grant | AI-Powered Historical Reconstruction, $25,000
  • 2025New Course Development Grant | Vibe Coding, $2,500
  • 2025Alumnae Award for Curriculum Innovation, $12,500. Rendered by Robots.
  • 2025Provost Grant for Research in HSSA | AI for Digital Humanities, $3,000
  • 2025Dean’s Merit-Based Faculty Supplementary Support Fund, $5,000. Dr. Sara 2: Zero-G Protocol.
  • 2025Artificial Intelligence and Media Lab (AIM-LAB) project grant, $8,000. Chaos Corp 2.
  • 2024Artificial Intelligence and Media Lab (AIM-LAB) project support, $4,000.
  • 2024Dean’s Merit-Based Faculty Supplementary Support Fund, $5,000
  • 2024NU-Q Small Grant in Support of Creative Work, $1,000
  • 2023Alumnae of Northwestern University Grant | Black Death Interactive, $5,000
  • 2023Provost Grant for Research in HSSA | Game-Based Learning, $5,000
  • 2023Provost Grant for Career Development & Writing Support, $2,500
  • 2023NU-Q Major Creative Project Completion Grant, course release.
  • 2023Dean’s Merit-Based Faculty Supplementary Support Fund, $5,000
  • 2023VCUarts Transformative Learning Fund | A.I.vant-Garde, $10,000
  • 2022NU-Q Research Fellowship, $25,000
  • 2021Provost Grant for Research in Humanities, Social Sciences, & the Arts, $3,000
  • 2020Internal Research Grant, Northwestern University in Qatar, $15,000. Research seed funding.
  • 2020Educational Technology Teaching Fellows Program, Northwestern University
  • 2016Faculty Student Mentorship Grant, Office of the Provost, $5,000
  • 2016Faculty Teaching Offset Award (FTO), Office of the Provost, $10,000
  • 2012Grant Writing Fellowship, Digital Media & Learning Competition, $5,000
  • 2012Inclusive Excellence Initiatives Grant, $2,000
  • 2012Visiting Artist Grant, $3,000
  • 2011Academic Staff Development Grant, AERA, New Orleans, $1,000
  • 2010Academic Staff Development Grant, Next Web Conference, $5,000
  • 2010College of Arts & Communication/Provost Office, Webby Awards, $4,000
  • 2010Just-In-Time Award, Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference, $1,000

MEDIA AWARDS

Honors from juried industry competitions in digital media, educational technology, and immersive learning, including Anthem, Webby, Reimagine Education, Horizon Interactive, and w3 awards, with nominations from Bett, the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge, and the GEE! Learning Game Awards.

WINNER

NOMINATIONS

PRESS FOR DIGITAL MEDIA WORK

Coverage across business, technology, education, and regional media, from a White House Science Fair fact sheet to Bloomberg Businessweek, Polygon, Recode, EdSurge, Inside Higher Ed, Script Magazine, Gulf Times, and The National.

AL-KHWARIZMI

RENDERED BY ROBOTS AND AI EDUCATION

EDUCATION AND DIGITAL LEARNING

CHAOS CORP

PLAGUE OF ATHENS VR

GENERATION REVOLUTION

PLAGUE OF ATHENS CHROMEBOOK

EMPIRES & INTERCONNECTIONS (1450–1750)

REVOLUTIONS & INDUSTRIALIZATION (1750–1900)

CONSCRIBO

DR. SARA: DISEASE DETECTIVE

QATARPODCASTS.COM | DIGITAL DOHA PODCAST

DUBAI WAVE PODCAST

DIGITAL DUBAI PODCAST

BLUE APPRENTICE AND GALXYZ

GAMEZOMBIE TV

TECHZOMBIE TV

KEYNOTES, TALKS, AND PRESENTATIONS

Keynotes, invited talks, and conference presentations on game-based learning, immersive media, and AI in creative production, at venues including Web Summit Qatar, WISE Summit, QS Reimagine Education, Games+Learning+Society, HASTAC, and the International Communication Association.

INVITED KEYNOTES AND TALKS

  • 2027“From Prompt to Premiere: AI Production Pipelines for Media and Education” (working title). Invited keynote, MEDCOM 2027, Bangkok, Thailand, April 5–6. Forthcoming.
  • 2026“His Name Became Algorithm: AI-Animated Docudrama and the Future of STEM Storytelling.” Invited talk, Qatar STEM Leadership Summit, Pullman Doha, October 28. Forthcoming.
  • 2026“Human Skills: What Matters More as AI Gets Better.” Invited panelist, Solutions Review Mini Jam. Recorded September 21.
  • 2026“Legacy of Light: The House of Wisdom.” Qumra Series Pitch and Industry Meetings, Doha Film Institute, Online, March 27–April 8.
  • 2026“Horizon Workshop: The Role of Data Storytelling and Generative AI in Progressive Education,” Hamad Bin Khalifa University, February 9.
  • 2026“Deconstructing Legacy of Light: Advanced Workflows in AI-Driven Cinema Demo Session – AIM Lab” Web Summit Qatar, Doha, February 4.
  • 2026“Rendered by Robots: Key Takeaways from 8 Experts on AI & Design Education.” Podcast Studio, AIM Lab, Web Summit Qatar, Doha, Qatar, February 4.
  • 2026“First Look: Legacy of Light | The Next Frontier of AI-Driven Cinematic Animation – Executive Education.” Web Summit Qatar, Doha, February 3.
  • 2026“Legacy of Light: The Making of an AI-Animated Docudrama on the Islamic Golden Age.” Podcast Studio, AIM Lab, Web Summit Qatar, Doha, Qatar, February 2.
  • 2026“Frontiers of AI‑Powered Cinematic Animation.” Keynote Panel: Government Communications Forum, Doha, Qatar, January 12.
  • 2025“How AI Impacts Media and Liberal Arts Education.” NU-Q Podcast at WISE Summit, Doha, Qatar, November 24–25.
  • 2025“Generative AI as a Creative Collaborator: Reimagining Media Production in Educational Contexts.” Keynote Talk: 5th International Conference on Media Science and Digital Communication (MSDC 2025), Bangkok, Thailand, November 21–22.
  • 2025“AI Ethics: The Convergence of Technology and Diverse Moral Traditions – Roundtable.” Qatar National Convention Center, Doha, Qatar, September 28.
  • 2025“AI & Creativity: Beyond the Trope: Cinematic Creativity in AI-Powered Docudrama Production.” Shaping The AI-Empowered Future of Knowledge, Scholarship, and Creativity; Rawabet Conference, NU-Q, September 1.
  • 2025“Omar's Desert Fox Adventure | Unleash Your Inner Hero! Why Human Learning is Your Superpower in the Age of AI.” British Modern International School, Doha, Qatar, May 28.
  • 2025“Nurturing Creativity and Critical Thinking through Edtech.” Qatar SMART Education Conference, Pullman Doha West Bay, Qatar, May 15.
  • 2025“Code and Consequences: A Designer's Perspective on the Generative AI Phase Shift” AIM Lab Lecture Series: AI for a Better World, Northwestern | Qatar, March 24.
  • 2025“Beyond the Algorithm: Cultivating Human Potential in an AI-Driven World Preparing Students for Success in a World of Constant Change.” Keynote Talk: CIS Middle East Institute on International Admission & Guidance, Doha, Qatar, February 21–22.
  • 2025“Immersive Learning Design: Creative Work at the Nexus of History, Technology, and Education.” Hiwar Scholars Seminar: Dialogues in Building Understanding, Doha, Qatar, February 9.
  • 2025“The Alchemy of Grant Writing: Observations from a Production Professor’s Perspective.” Faculty Workshop, Doha, Qatar, February 6.
  • 2024“Immersive Experiential Learning Product Showcase | Plague of Athens VR & Black Death Interactive.” QS Reimagine Education Conference, QEII Centre, Westminster, London, December 9–11.
  • 2024“Generative AI in Teaching and Learning.” An Education City-wide Faculty Panel Discussion, VCU-Q, Doha, Qatar, September 10.
  • 2024“Role of Technology in Improving Learning and Delivery of Education.” Future of Education Summit, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Doha, Qatar, February 20.
  • 2024“AI and the Future of Creative Media: Navigating Opportunities and Challenges.” AI & Media (AIM-Lab) Launch, Doha, Qatar, Feb 5.
  • 2023“Artificial Intelligence, Video Game Creation, and the Future of Digital Media.” Channel 37 Podcast Interview, September 8.
  • 2023“Multimodal Scholarship in Communication Studies.” Dean’s Forum, Doha, Qatar, March 12.
  • 2022“Are eSports Real? | a Discussion.” Media Majlis, Doha, Qatar, September 13.
  • 2021“Crash Course: Designing Next Generation Digital Learning Solutions.” WISE Summit, Doha, Qatar, December 8.
  • 2021“Game-Based Learning | a Conversation with Spencer Striker.” 2U Online Course, Virtual, November 10.
  • 2020“Digital Learning Solutions in an Age of Disruption.” liveconvos.tv, International Virtual Event, Launch Week, September 24.
  • 2019“Digital Media Studies panel.” NU-Q Speaker Series, Doha, Qatar, October 15.
  • 2019“Social Media Content & Influencers – panel.” 6th Annual Arab Social Media Forum, Muscat, Oman, September 23.
  • 2019“History Adventures – Playable Demo Version 2.0.” Step Conference, Startup Showcase, Dubai, UAE, February 13.
  • 2017“Conscribo – First Look Demo.” Presented at Web Summit, ALPHA Exhibition, Lisbon, Portugal, November 7–9.
  • 2011“New Media in Wisconsin.” UW System Integrated Marketing and Communication Conference, Oshkosh WI, June 1–2.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AND SHOWCASES

  • 2025“Surviving Global Pandemics in History: Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) Game-Based Learning Experience.” International Communication Association, Denver, Colorado, June 12–16.
  • 2025“NU-Q’s Sound Bytes: Chaos Corp.: Decoding Disinformation via Immersive Gameplay.” Web Summit Qatar, Doha Exhibition and Convention Center; Doha, Qatar, February 23–26.
  • 2025“Chaos Corp. – Hands-On Game Demos.” Web Summit Qatar, Doha Exhibition and Convention Center; Doha, Qatar, February 23–26.
  • 2024“Empires & Interconnections: Igniting Historical Curiosity Through Choice & Consequence.” Make Play Learn, University of Wisconsin at Madison, July 18–19.
  • 2024“Creativity in the Age of AI: Forging New Pathways in Media Education.” TEACHx, Northwestern University; Evanston, IL, May 15–16.
  • 2024“History Adventures – Digital Learning Reimagined.” Web Summit Qatar, Doha Exhibition and Convention Center; Doha, Qatar, February 26–29.
  • 2023“Breakthrough Technology Innovation in Education | An iPad App to Ignite Curiosity for Learning History.” QS Reimagine Education Conference, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, December 11–13.
  • 2023“Empires & Interconnections for iPad | Challenging Students with Wicked Problems in History.” International Big History Association Conference, Coldigioco, Italy, July 7–9.
  • 2023“Multimodal Narrative Design for Digital Learning.” HASTAC Conference, Pratt Institute, June 8–10.
  • 2023“Storytelling, Multimodality, & Digital Learning Design for the New Generations.” QS Higher Ed Summit: Middle East & Africa, Kuwait, March 14.
  • 2022“Plague of Athens | an Immersive Learning Experience.” Reimagine Education Conference, Virtual, December 6–10.
  • 2022"Plague of Athens | a Chromebooks Web App.” Connected Learning Summit, Online, July 27–29.
  • 2022"Global Pandemics: a Story of Survival & Resilience – Well Played presentation.” Games+Learning+Society (GLS) Conference, Irvine, CA, June 15–17.
  • 2022"Dr. Sara: Disease Detective: a mobile game about epidemiology – Game Showcase.” Games+Learning+Society (GLS) Conference, Irvine, CA, June 15–17.
  • 2021“Dr. Sara: Disease Detective – Virtual Demo.” Reimagine Education Conference, Virtual, December 6–10.
  • 2021“History Adventures, AP World History Modern – a digital learning product.” International Big History Association Conference, Global Virtual, August 3–6.
  • 2020“World of Characters – Virtual Demo.” Reimagine Education Conference, Virtual, December 6–10.
  • 2020“Learning through Storytelling.” Qatar Faculty Forum, Doha, Qatar, February 18.
  • 2019“History Adventures – Playable Demo Version 2.0.” Slush Tokyo, Startup Showcase, Tokyo, Japan, February 22–23.
  • 2018“Big History Adventures – Playable Demo Version 1.0.” Step Conference, Startup Showcase, Dubai, UAE, March 28.
  • 2017“Case Study: A New Digital Learning Experience with Big History Adventures.” EduTECH Middle East, Dubai, November 14–15.
  • 2017“Big History Adventures: Dubai Smart City Initiative.” ArabNet Digital Summit, Smartpreneur 2.0 Competition, Dubai, May 17.
  • 2017“Big History Adventures: People in Time, Connected by Eternity.” AUD Visual Cultures Forum, Dubai, April 9.
  • 2016“A Little Big History of Human Collective Learning: From Theory to Digital Book Application.” International Big History Association Conference, Amsterdam, July 14–17.
  • 2015“Spencer Striker’s Twisted Cargo: A Next Gen Digital Graphic Novel.” UAE Innovation Week, Dubai, November 28.
  • 2012“The Dark Side of the Web: Hyperpersonalization, the Filter Bubble, and Information Fatigue.” Technology, Knowledge, and Society Conference, Los Angeles, CA, January 16–18.
  • 2011“The Future of the Book is Now – a case-study.” HASTAC Conference, Ann Arbor, MI, December 1–3.
  • 2011“GameZombie TV: Using Badges to Assess a Project-Based Learning Environment.” Ubiquitous Learning Conference, Berkeley CA, November 11–12.
  • 2011“GameZombie TV: Using Game Media Production to Construct a Project Based Learning Environment.” EDUCAUSE Conference, Philadelphia PA, October 18–21.
  • 2011“Designing Game Based Learning Activities.” Games, Learning, & Society Conference, Madison WI, June 15–17.
  • 2011“Building the Media Arts & Game Development Program at UWW – A Case Study.” Games, Learning, & Society Conference, Madison WI, June 15–17.
  • 2011“GameZombie TV. Ignite Talk.” Digital Media and Learning Conference (DML), Long Beach CA, March 3–5.

ARTICLES AND ESSAYS

  • 2026Solutions Review, invited companion op-ed on AI and human skills. Invitation received October 1; in progress.
  • 2026“Leaps and Gaps: What AI Production Tools Actually Can and Can’t Do.” Invited contribution, MEDCOM 2026 conference publication, 11th World Conference on Media and Mass Communication, Bali, March 23–24.
  • 2020“Learning Science through Gameplay.” Op-ed, Qatar Foundation, Story | Education, July 20.

TEACHING

Production studios in animation, sound, game design, web, virtual reality, and AI-driven media, most of them designed from the ground up, taught across undergraduate, master’s, pre-college, and executive education programs.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY IN QATAR, 2019–PRESENT

Courses designed and taught

  • Vibe Coding (undergraduate and pre-college)
  • Mobile Game Design (undergraduate and pre-college)
  • 2D Computer Animation
  • AI Tools for Digital Media Design (undergraduate, pre-college, and executive education)
  • Digital Podcast Production
  • Web Design
  • 3D Computer Animation
  • VR Game Design
  • Interactive Product Design
  • Media Literacy for Sports (MA in Sports Administration)
  • Social Media Strategy, Tools & Analytics (executive education)

Courses taught

  • Sound Design

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN DUBAI, 2015–2019

Courses designed and taught

  • Creative Opportunities in Contemporary Media
  • Digital Podcast Production
  • Online Media Production
  • Mobile App Design & Development
  • Next Gen Interactive Entertainment
  • Design Concepts for the Web
  • Social Media Optimization & the New Web

Courses taught

  • Fundamentals of Web Design
  • Introductory Computer Graphics
  • Advanced Computer Graphics

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER, 2009–2012

Courses designed and taught

  • Web Video & the Game Industry – GameZombie TV
  • Social Media Optimization & the New Web
  • Intro to Media Arts & Game Development

Courses taught

  • New Communication Technologies
  • Fundamentals of Video Production
  • Intro to Web Development

INDIANA UNIVERSITY AT BLOOMINGTON, 2008–2009

Courses designed and taught

  • Web Video & the Game Industry – GameZombie TV

IVY TECH, BLOOMINGTON, IN, 2009

Courses taught

  • Game Development
  • Web Development
  • Web Graphics

STUDENT MENTORING

Mentoring across every appointment since 2007: the student-produced GameZombie TV series at Indiana and Wisconsin, internship direction and program advising in Dubai, and research assistants, independent studies, IAS and AIM-LAB projects at Northwestern Qatar. Mentees include a Rhodes Scholar, undergraduate grant recipients, and student contributors credited on Anthem Award and Reimagine Education winners.

SERVICE AWARDS

  • 2010UW-W Communication Department Award for Excellence in Service

SERVICE

SERVICE TO THE DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGN PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY

  • Media Majlis Museum, Advisory Board, 2025–present
  • Qatar Foundation, Peer Review Committee for the proposed Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, August 2026.
  • Media, Culture & Society, invited peer reviewer, 2026.
  • Zayed University, External Reviewer for Faculty Promotion, 2025
  • Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, Reviewer, 2023–present
  • AIM | Artificial Intelligence & Media Lab, Founding Member, 2024–present
  • Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Alliance, Reviewer, 2023–present
  • Annenberg VR Collaborative, Advisory Board Member, 2022–present
  • G4C | Games for Change, Official Judge, 2024–present
  • Games, Learning & Society Conference, Reviewer, 2022
  • GEE! Learning Game Awards, Official Judge, 2021–present
  • Reimagine Education Awards, Official Judge, 2021–2024.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY IN QATAR

  • Academic Integrity Committee, Chair, 2026–present
  • Communication Exchange Committee, 2026.
  • Northwestern University Faculty Senate, 2022–2025
  • Research Committee, 2021–2022, 2023–2024, 2025–present
  • Artificial Intelligence & Media Lab (AIM-LAB), Committee, 2024–present
  • Institute for Advanced Study in the Global South, Game Design Project Mentor, 2024–present
  • AI & Media Minor Committee, (Co-Chair), 2024
  • Retreat Committee for Comm Dept, (Chair), 2024–present
  • Curriculum Committee, 2021–2024; (Comm Dept Chair, 2022–2024)
  • Academic Integrity Committee, 2020–2023 (Chair, 2022–2023)
  • Media Analytics Faculty Search Committee, 2023
  • Doctoral Committee, Sultana Jesmine, HBKU, 2020–2023
  • Visibility Policy Committee, 2021
  • Undergraduate Research Grants Mentor, 2020–2022
  • Contingency Planning Task Force, 2020
  • Teaching and Pedagogy Committee, 2020
  • Digital Humanities Faculty Search Committee, 2019–2020

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN DUBAI

  • Provost’s Award Committee, Innovation in Teaching, Creativity in Design & Visual Arts, 2018
  • Library Advisory Committee, 2017–2019
  • Curriculum Design, MA in Leadership and Innovation in Contemporary Media, 2018–2019
  • Creative Opportunities in Contemporary Media Professional Guest Speaker Series, 2018–2019
  • Academic Accreditation Committee, Dept of Visual Comm, 2015–2019
  • Digital Media Faculty Search Committee, 2018–2019
  • Visual Cultures Forum, Invited Speaker: Jonathan Markley, Big History, Innovating Educational Multimedia, 2017
  • Marketing Technologies Committee, 2015–2016
  • May Chidiac Conference, Advisory Committee, 2016

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER

  • Advisory Board Committee, Media Arts & Game Development Program, 2009–2012
  • Curricular Planning & Program Development, 2009–2012
  • MAGD Expo Keynote Speaker Series: Cory Barlog (Director, God of War), Tom Russo (Business, Street Fighter), Neill Glancy (Creative Director, Midway Games), 2010–2012
  • Faculty Search Committees: Web Design, 3D Animation, Game Design, Producing, 2009–2012
  • Social Media Marketing Committee Chair, 2009–2010
  • Lab Modernization Committee Chair, 2009–2010
  • Website Design Committee Chair, 2010
  • State of the University Speech Committee, Chancellor’s Office, 2010
  • Produced the animated introduction for Chancellor Richard Telfer’s State of the University address, at his request, 2010: Chancellor Telfer Animated Speech Intro

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • IndieCade | International Festival of Independent Games, 2025–present
  • AIVA | Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, 2023–present
  • AIM-Lab | Artificial Intelligence & Media Lab, 2024–present
  • IAS | Institute for Advanced Study for the Global South, 2023–present
  • Annenberg VR Collaborative, Penn, Advisory Board, 2022–present
  • INVO | Innovation and New Ventures Office, 2021–present
  • G4C | Games for Change, Official Judge, 2024–present
  • Reimagine Education Awards, Official Judge, 2021–2024
  • WISE | World Innovation Summit for Education, 2021–present
  • Qatar Internet Society, 2021–present
  • HBKU Innovation Center, 2020–present
  • Connected Learning Alliance, 2019–present
  • IBHA | International Big History Association, 2016–present
  • HASTAC | Humanities, Arts, Science and Tech Collaboratory, 2010–present
  • GLS | Games, Learning, and Society, 2009–present
  • Dubai Startup Hub, 2017–2019
  • Digital Media & Learning Research Hub, 2010–2012
  • EDUCAUSE, 2010–2012