Conferences

The Spring term marks conference season for both Humanities and HCI researchers with June hosting both CGSA (Canadian Game Studies Association) and CHI (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems). This year, the GI also launched the annual International Conference on Games and Narrative (ICGaN). All three showcased the research prowess of the institute, the dedication to excellent research outputs despite the challenges of the pandemic and highlighted the sense of community that each conference uniquely cultivated.

Canadian Games Studies Association

CGSA research focus is on highlighting research in games, however they have always diligently used their platform for diversity, inclusivity, and anti-oppression. CGSA’s work on including marginalized communities in the academic world as well as uplifting games research that actively works against the status quo of the industry came to the fore after the unfortunate events that took place during the 2019 CONGRESS. Dr. Shelby McPhee of the Black Canadian Studies Association (BCSA) was racially harassed and CGSA chose to be active allies. 

CGSA chose to unequivocally support BCSA, and in solidarity with a number of other associations, separated from CONGRESS (Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences). Dr. Gerald Voorhees, acting President of CGSA and GI faculty member, reached out to the GI for support in running the conference this year. The GI was happy to assist in the conference alongside Concordia University, The University of Alberta, and (the other sponsors).

CGSA ran the conference virtually; participants pre-submitted their presentations in video format. Attendees had a chance to view these videos ahead of the panels, and during panels themselves, presenters had to recap their main arguments with a Q&A period following.

GI members that acted as panel chairs include:

• Betsy Brey
• Nicholas Hobin
• Patrick Dolan
• Dr. Gerald Voorhees
• Dr. Steve Wilcox
• Dr. Jenn Whitson; and
• Dr. Michael Hancock

GI members that presented at CGSA include:

• Betsy Brey
• Apoorva Sanagavarapu
• Sabrina Sgandurra
• Lindsay Meaning
• Dr. Steve Wilcox
• Dr. Gerald Voorhees
• Dr. Michael Hancock; and
• Nicholas Hobin

Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

An open space to discuss the latest in interactive technology, CHI took a different approach from CGSA and ICGaN by hosting a hybrid conference. GI members, who participated, attended virtually this year to explore this year’s conference theme “Making Waves, Combining Strengths”. Much like how CGSA conference presenters had to pre-submit their presentations in video format, so too did CHI goers—with some still being available to view!  

GI members who presented at CHI include:

• “You’re Making Me Sick: A Systematic Review of How Virtual Reality Research Considers Gender & Cybersickness”
  • Cayley MacArthur
  • Arielle Grinberg
  • Dr. Daniel Harley
  • Dr. Mark Hancock
• Provocations from #vanlife: Investigating Life and Work in a Community Extensively Using Technology Not Designed for Them
  • Ali Rizvi
  • Kateryna Morayko
  • Arden Song
  • Dr. Mark Hancock
• Feels Like Team Spirit: Biometric and Strategic Interdependence in Asymmetric Multiplayer VR Games
  • Katja Rogers
  • Dr. Lennart Nacke
• Scrappy: Using Scrap Material as Infill to Make Fabrication More Sustainable
  • Ludwig Wall
  • Dr. Daniel Vogel
  • Dr. Oliver Schneider

Other Conferences and Presentation by GI Members

GI members delivered a number of other presentations:

1. Dr. John Muñoz participated in a panel discussion hosted by our fellow UW research institute the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology (CBB) called “Novel Tools for Physiological Computing and Interactive Systems”
2. Dr. Gerald Voorhees presented on white feminism in games discourse at the Popular Culture Association conference.
3. Dr. Oliver Schneider presented a paper at World Haptics several works in progress presented from my lab at World Haptics.
4. Dr. Shana MacDonald was Program Director and President, Film Studies Association of Canada, Annual Conference, Online June 2021 and also presented:
   1. "maybe it's basic and trendy, or maybe it's a global feminist awakening": Witch Memes as Feminist Shadow Resistance” The Witch Institute Symposium, Queen’s University.  Online: August 2021. 
   2. “The Hermeneutics of Generativity” co-presented with members of the qColloaborative and GI, Drs. Jennifer-Roberts Smith, Brianna Wiens, and Aynur Kadir, at the Canadian Society of Digital Humanities.
   3. Chaired a panel called “Contemporary and Historical Feminisms: Continuities, Comparisons, and Contradictions,”  at the Society of Cinema and Media Studies in March.
   4. “Digital Feminist Research Hacks – Undermining Platform Capitalism on the ‘gram” at the Chesapeake Digital Humanities Consortium 2021 Conference: Social Justice and Online Activism.
5. Dr. Lennart Nacke was interviewed in MacLean’s story about speedrunning, which was later picked up by ScreenRant