My work at Wellesley College and beyond focuses on the creation and study of immersive and interactive learning experiences. I am fascinated by the way technology-based immersion can be used to enhance pedagogical aims and communicate complex ideas. I have years of experience developing Virtual Reality applications that are currently being used in classrooms across the Liberal Arts curriculum. My latest research involves working with the iLRN CHEX consortium to identify standards that may be used to develop more effective methods for using immersive learning technologies.

I currently teach a three-course sequence in the Computer Science Department that asks students to develop their own digital games and other projects in Playable Media. These courses are situated at an interdisciplinary crossroads that is supported by the Media Arts & Sciences program, combining a wide range of academic perspectives found in digital playable media. My own research in Games Studies is exemplified by my latest project, SubjectMatter:TableTop, an academic podcast that explores “games and the subjects that animate them.” This podcast seeks to expose the many ways that games communicate from both technical and Cultural Studies perspectives.

I am also a major supporter of academic makerspaces. In my previous role in higher education, I oversaw the evolution of the Knapp Media Center by introducing “maker” technologies, as well as developing the Knapp Internship program for students to learn and support the newest academic technology available on campus. Using emergent technology and workflows, I continue to enable previously unexplored ways of teaching, learning, conducting research, and communicating scholarly efforts. I spend time in the campus makerspace, exploring new methods for 3D scanning and the production of aerial imagery in support of curricular experiments in VR/AR. I am also excited to be a part of a growing consortium of higher education professionals, Liberal Technology, interested in expanding the “maker mindset” on college campuses.

When I am not teaching or traveling for research, you can find me driving from one campsite to the next, playing with dogs, or “spoiling my walk” in nature by attempting to play a good round of golf. Please feel free to join my Twitch stream (jstored) during the semester on Tuesdays (8-8:30), or tune in to SubjectMatter:TableTop!