Edward Melcer
Associate Professor (School of Computer Science)
| Degrees: | Ph.D. New York University (2018), M.S. New York University (2016), B.S. Polytechnic Institute of NYU (2013) |
| Email: | edwardmelcer@cunet.carleton.ca |
Research Interests
Human-Computer Interaction, Educational Games, Tangibles, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Game Studies
Specific Research Interests
Game design and development, alternative game controllers, fabrication technologies for games, game-based training and assessment, games for health, games for social good, interactive narratives, visualizing game communities
Current Research
Dr. Melcer’s research is at the intersection of human-computer interaction, game design, and learning science, where he designs, builds, and evaluates serious games through a mixed-methods approach. His research explores how emerging technologies such as wearables, AR, VR, 3D printers, IoT, smartwatches, and so forth can be incorporated into the design of educational games. Dr. Melcer’s research aids designers in creating games that improve a variety of important outcomes such as self-efficacy, interest, motivation, attitudes, immersion, decision-making, and learning. His research games have been deployed around the world in areas such as North America, East Asia, and Africa, addressing topics ranging from programming education and logographic language learning to surgical education and research ethics.
Biography
Dr. Edward Melcer is an independent game developer, Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science at Carleton University, and Director of the Alternative Learning Technologies and Games Lab. He received his MS and PhD from the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, and was previously an Associate Professor in Computational Media at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Dr. Melcer’s recent research on game-based assessment of medical trainees has received an Excellence in Research Award at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, while his work on embodied learning games has received multiple Best Paper Honorable Mention awards at the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. His serious games similarly have won awards in venues such as IndieCade, Meaningful Play, and the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge.
https://twitter.com/eddiemelcer