We are delighted to announce our two keynote speakers Prof. Dr. Ola Ahlqvist and a game designer Jarory de Jesus.
Prof. Dr. Ola Ahlqvist
Ola Ahlqvist is Professor of Geography at The Ohio State University. He worked professionally with local and regional environmental planning in Finland and Sweden in the early 1990’s. After completing a PhD in Geography at Stockholm University in 2001 followed by post-doctoral training at Penn State University he joined the Geography Department at The Ohio State University in 2005. His research interest span three broad areas: 1) semantic uncertainty and formal ontology in analysis of geographic information, 2) how online maps, social media, and games combine to offer novel forms of social-environmental simulation, and decision making. 3) the scholarship of engagement in GIS and experiential learning. In 2018, Springer published “Geogames and Geoplay”, co-edited by Ola Ahlqvist and Christoph Schlieder, the first comprehensive collection of leading work on Game-based Approaches to the Analysis of Geo-Information. Ahlqvist currently serves full-time as the Associate Vice Provost for the Office of Academic Enrichment and the Executive Director for the University Honors and Scholars Center at Ohio State.
Talk: Two decades of GeoGames and GeoPlay
In this personal perspective, I offer my reflections on the emergence of GeoGames from the early days of Web 2.0, online maps, and games, to the present day. As part of my retrospective, I will discuss the use of design-based research as a method for developing educational experiences in the area of Geographic Information Science & Technology (GIS&T), and how design-based research approaches can provide important insights about learning mechanisms and processes.
Jarory de Jesus
Jarory de Jesus is a game developer who specializes in narrative design, implementation, and programming. As a developer he’s worked on properties such as Madden, Marvel, and Star Wars as both a Narrative and Technical Designer. Jarory is also a community organizer for Black in Gaming (BiG) and a member of the Latinx in Gaming community as well as President of the board for Global Game Jam. His current studio, Coquito Games, is the culmination of his years of experience and passion for telling stories from under-represented voices. See more: https://www.jarorydejesus.com/
Geogames Lab 