UCI’s Sky Farm team was awarded first place at IEEE GameSIG 2018, the Intercollegiate Computer Game Showcase of the IEEE special interest group in computer games. The top 10 Southern California finalists competed on May 5, presenting their games to a panel of industry judges, and UCI came out ahead for the fourth year in a row — the fifth time in the competition’s seven-year history.
Monthly Archives: May 2018
Education Week: “Gamers Are the New High School Athletes: The Rise of Esports” (Constance Steinkuehler quoted)
May 25, 2018
“You see valedictorians gaming cheek to jowl with kids who are doing poorly in basic coursework,” said Constance Steinkuehler, a professor of education and game-based learning at the University of California, Irvine.
Read the full article at Education Week.
Retirement Reception for Informatics Professor David G. Kay Reveals Reach of His ‘Teaching Tree’
May 23, 2018
A large crowd gathered to celebrate Informatics Professor David G. Kay and his 37 years of teaching on Monday, May 21, 2018. At the retirement reception held in his honor, André van der Hoek, chair of the Department of Informatics, talked about Kay’s widespread involvement — at the university level, serving as chair of the University Committee on Academic Computing and Communications; at the campus level, acting as faculty director of the UCI UTeach program, in which undergraduates design and teach their own small seminars; at the school level, training generations of teaching assistants; and at the department level, serving for years as the vice chair. But his dedication at the individual level is what truly made Kay stand out. As Professor van der Hoek noted, “David’s passion for students and their learning and well-being is why we’re here.”
Professor Ruberg Honored for Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research
May 21, 2018
On Saturday, May 19, the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) held its annual symposium, where undergraduates present the results of their research or creative activities in a professional setting. At the symposium, Informatics Professor Bonnie Ruberg was awarded the 2018 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research for the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences (ICS). The award recognized her outstanding work in mentoring undergraduate students engaged in research.
Game Developers — This Is Your Week!
Game Developers Week 2018 is finally here! You’ll find professionals from the gaming industry in Donald Bren Hall, room 6011, Tuesday through Friday evening. So if you’re interested in learning more about life in the gaming industry, you won’t want to miss this series of talks.
Quartz: “Are people who don’t use Facebook more productive?” (Gloria Mark cited)
May 16, 2018
“In general, there’s no hard data showing that people who are on Facebook are more or less productive. There is an argument to be made, however, that some Facebook use at work is associated with higher performance: in one study Gloria Mark of UC Irvine showed that Facebook use at work is associated with a more positive mood at the end of the workday.
Read the full story at Quartz.
ICS Anteater Athletes Are Driven to Succeed
May 15, 2018
When Jonathan Young talks about a course, his friends in the Donald Bren School of ICS might think he’s talking about a computer science course, but his teammates would likely assume he’s talking about the golf course. The same is true for Ryan O’Connor. Both Young, a senior majoring in computer science, and O’Connor, a senior majoring in business information management, are members of the men’s golf team — recently crowned “Big West Champs!”
Register Now to “Find the Kind” at Empathy Game Jam
May 11, 2018
Games transport and transform us, so can they also teach us to be more empathetic? Informatics Professor Theresa Jean Tanenbaum has been researching this question for quite some time. “A lot of my work is about how to create experiences of identity transformation and empathy through play,” she says. To further this work, he is teaming up with Heidi McDonald, senior creative director at iThrive Games, to organize UCI’s first Empathy Game Jam.
UCI’s First Esports Conference Aims to Catalyze the Field
May 10, 2018
Esports research and practice will collide in October at UCI’s first Esports Conference. ESC will feature keynotes from top names in the domain, cutting-edge R&D presentations, a collegiate esports match in the UCI Esports arena, and a public festival with vendor booths set up in an open-air, on-campus terrace.
Inven Global: “Constance Steinkuehler, Professor Of Education At UCI, Reveals Plans To Invite Korean Players And Coaches To The U.S.”
May 8, 2018
The University of California Irvine (UCI) has begun planning their educational program to bring Korean coaches and players to the United States. Introduced by Constance, the professor broke down their intentions to bring Korean Esports representatives to Irvine to not only teach young Esports student enthusiasts at UCI but also help elongate their Esports careers. Let alone the action, the thought itself is revolutionary. No college nor educational program has yet to really push the fence on bringing Korean representatives to the U.S. to teach students.
Read the full story at Inven Global.