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Professor

Interactive Media, Game Development, Gaming Psychology,
Art & Design
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Master of Fine Arts Program Director

Associate Professor of Practice

Clark University - BSDT, 2021 - Present

  • Assisted with program migration, curriculum re-development, and strategic planning for implementation of Interactive Media degree, (undergraduate and graduate programs).

  • Full time teaching load plus administrative duties, advising, course development, and academic service. (See full course list below)

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Master of Fine Arts Program Director

Becker College - School of Design & Technology, 2017 - 2021

  • Provided curriculum development, vision, leadership, and strategic planning for brand new Graduate Program.

  • Created communication and workflow plans for all aspects of program development from recruitment to student success and graduation.

  • Designed content for and facilitate management of MFA Residency Weeks for graduate students each semester.

  • Worked with Marketing and Admissions teams to provided vision and creative briefs for advertising, recruitment, and outreach campaigns.

  • Served as student success advisor for all graduate students and MFA applicants.

  • Developed curriculum and syllabi for all required graduate courses and completed yearly assessment duties for program.

  • Assisted with creating course schedules and graduate student registration each semester.

  • Assembled proposal and summary for successful NECHE site visit and program review.

  • Compiled yearly application for the Princeton Review, successfully securing a spot in the "Top 10 U.S MFA programs in Interactive Media" in the first 3 years of the program.

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Assistant Professor of Interactive Media

Becker College, 2012 - 2017

  • Enthusiastic contributor to department advancement including curriculum and course development.

  • Fostered relationships with outside organizations for potential student outreach, project collaboration, and lecture series. •  Researched and determined new technology needs yearly  in order to stay on the cutting edge of VR/AR trends.

  • Reviewed proposals each semester for viability as Game Studio projects.

  • Participated in outreach programs for recruitment as well as community and academic service.

  • Developed new courses and performed assessment for interactive media courses each semester.

  • Taught course load of 5 - 7 classes each semester.

  • Assisted in the development of an on-line certificate program in Game Design for the Center of Accelerated Studies which included restructuring curriculum into 5-week modules, developing Canvas shells, and facilitating courses.

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Teaching Experience - Course List

Professor of record for over 120 course sections (370+ credit hours). Graduate Advisor and Project Supervisor 2017-2022. Taught multiple sections each semester, performed curriculum development, committee defense, and assessment for the following undergraduate and graduate courses.
 

Clark University

  • GAME 030 - First Year Intensive, Examining Play

  • IMED 3000 - Interactive Media Seminar

  • IMED 3010 - Graduate Studio

  • IMED 3999 - Interactive Media Praxis

  • IMED 3240 - Virtual and Augmented Reality

  • IMED 3500 - Special Topics in Interactive Media

  • IMED 3950 - Independent Study

Becker College:

  • GAME1130 - Examining Play

  • GAME4400 - Game Theory

  • GAME2115 - Game Industry Trends

  • GAME2100 - Effective Design Strategies

  • GAME2115 - Raster and Vector for Games

  • GAME3111 - Computer Illustration

  • GAME4610 - Portfolio

  • GRPH2130 - Raster Imaging

  • GRPH2120 - Vector Imaging 

  • GAME1120 - Introduction to Game Design

  • GAME3900 - Game Studio

  • GAME3210 - Virtual Reality

  • GAME4400 - Augmented Reality

  • GAME3902 - Serious Game Projects

  • GAME5100 - Directed Graduate Studio I, II, III, & VI

  • GAME6300 - Thesis I & II

  • GAME5600 - Graduate Advanced Topics

  • GAME5900 - Group Seminar

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Academic Outreach and Service

  • Contributed to organization and implementation of student outreach during COVID-19 including online Game Jams and Twitch stream lecture series.

  • Featured speaker for Burncoat Middle School seminar class “Genius Hour” Mentor Series, speaking to kids about the importance of creativity and video game design.

  • Presented at CLTX Gaming Girls STEAM event in August 2019 and led hands-on activity demonstrating the importance of creative expression, how to create a mind-map to brainstorm ideas, and how to turn ideas into functioning game mechanics.

  • Designed and facilitated “Foreach Academy”, a STEAM summer camp for 7th and 8th grade girls designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and interest in game development. In this week- long camp girls are introduced to robotics, game design, team project dynamics, coding, and creating 2D & 3D art assets.

  • Worked alongside faculty and students to showcase Becker College at PAX East every year between 2012 - 2020. Participating in booth design, contest development, curation of pieces for digital art showcase, and on-site recruitment & engagement.

  • Assisted in facilitating and organizing Becker College Senior Showcase every year between 2016 - 2020, bringing developers and companies together to highlight the work and accomplishments of graduating Becker seniors and offer portfolio reviews and interviews.

  • Participated in the 25th Anniversary Event for the Americans with Disabilities Act in Worcester. Showcasing a Virtual Reality experience to raise awareness about Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

  • Developed two interactive technology workshops for girls ages 8 - 14 for the 2015 Girl Scouts "Geek is Glam" event at WPI in Worcester. A STEM Expo for over 600 Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts.

  • Consulting member of Consortium for Independent Living, founded by Senator Harriet Chandler; Bringing tech solutions to disabled and elder care services in Worcester. (2015-2016)

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Events and Publications

  • Judge and mentor for MassDigi game challenge 2017 - 2020.

  • Published in the Worcester Business Journal online and print mag for the “40 Under 40” class of 2020.

  • Guest on the Pop It! Podcast, speaking on Education, Creativity, and Game Development. 2020.

  • Judge and Organizer for 2020 Online "October Game Jam!".

  • Panelist on 'Virtual Reality in Education' at the Venture Cafe's VR Event, a social gathering for the greater Boston tech community.

  • Showcased "Into the Rift" and "Body Rift" at the Venture Cafe Virtual Reality Meetup.

  • Featured reviewer for "The GameMaker Standard" by David Vinciguerra and Andrew Howell.

  • Virtual Reality Exhibitor for the Canton Library’s 2015 Technology Fund Raising Gala.

  • Panel Judge for the Annual 24 hour Game Jam hosted by Becker College, 2013-2018.

  • Presented “From Pixels to Polygons” at SVA Theatre, NYC 2012

  • Represented Becker School of Design and Technology (BSDT) at various conference and events including:

    • PAX East,

    • NAGAP,

    • ‘Games for Change’ VR Brain Jam,

    • UNITE,

    • GDC,

    • Canton VR Gala,

    • NERCOMP, 

    • Worcester Women’s Leadership Conference.

       

Awards and Accolades

  • Over the past 14 years - Developed 20+ courses and taught more than 180 sections (600+ credit hours). 

  • Selected for the Worcester Business Journal “40 Under 40 ”, 2020.

  • Tangible” chosen for the 2012 Selected Works, School of Visual Arts-MFACA

  • Interactive Installation “Tangible”, displayed in the SVA Gallery, NYC - May 2012 

  • Magna Cum Laude - MFA School of Visual Arts 2012

  • Academic Award for Excellence in Game Design & Art, Becker College 2010

  • Dean’s List, Becker College 2006 - 2010

  • Magna Cum Laude, Deans List - BA Becker College 2010

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Projects

  • Graduate Thesis Advisor: “Irreversible Journey” (Brook Elliot). “Manaclysm” (Josh Slavin). “Don’t Get Blacklisted” (Harrison Becker). “Awareness” (Joseph Kehoe). 

  • Project Manager:

    • Holoween” - Tower Defense Game using Microsoft Hololens.

    • The Machine” - Virtual Escape Room using Microsoft Hololens.

    • Jaywalker” - AR simulation game using Microsoft Hololens.

    • Becker HoloTour” - Interactive tour experience using Google Tango AR.

  • Collaborative Projects:

    • "Memory Match" - PC/3M Touch Table. Interactive matching game designed for PAX East.

    • "ADA, Body Dysmorphia" - Virtual Reality experience designed for Americans with Disabilities Act 50th anniversary celebration. Bringing awareness to Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

    • "Grove" - Education and awareness game simulating tree and plant growing/tending. Developed to partner with local conservation groups.

    • "Shape Factory" - Mobile puzzle game developed for iOS and Android.

       

Exhibitions

  • Hanging Installation “Balance” on display in “In Tandem” at the Sprinkler Factory, Worcester, 2021

  • Crystal Grid Collection “Energy” on display in “Trios” at the Sprinkler Factory, Worcester, 2021

  • Hanging Sculpture “Suspend” featured in “Spooky Interaction at a Distance” at the Sprinkler Factory, 2019.

  • Interactive Installation “Tangible 2.0 ” showcased at the Sprinkler Factory Exhibition “Behind the Veil”, 2018.

  • Interactive Installation “Tangible” showcased at the SVA Gallery exhibition “Parsing (Im)Possibilities”, NYC, 2012.

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Committees

Alumni Member of the Game Steering Committee, 2011 Search Committee, Counseling Psychology, 2013 Instructional Technology Advisory Council (ITAC), 2014, 2015 College Library Committee, 2015, 2016, 2017 Game 2.0/3.0 Curriculum Development Committee 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Search Committee, Dean of the School of Design & Technology Game Studio Development Committee 2015 - 2021 Consortium for Independent Living, 2017

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Conferences

PAX East 2010 - 2025, NAGAP - 2018, 2019 Games for Change VR Brain Jam, 2017 UNITE, 2016 GDC, 2015 Canton VR Gala, 2015 NERCOMP, 2014 Worcester Women’s Leadership Conference - 2019, 2020.

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MFA, Computer Art

The School of Visual Arts
New York, NY 

Magna Cum Laude, Deans List

"The impact of technology on the art world; Psychology behind tactile interaction and user experience design."
 

Interactive Installation - “Tangible” SVA Gallery, May 2012

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BA, Interactive Media

Becker College
Worcester MA 

Magna Cum Laude, Deans List, High Honors

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"Video games and the rise of new media as interactive art"

©2022 by Amanda Theinert

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My name is Amanda Theinert. Life is too short to be just one thing.
My current passions found here include my academic CV as a Professor of Interactive Media and MFA Program Director; My work as an Artist and Creator; My Etsy shop of Crystals and Metaphysical Gifts; And my new adventures in writing, and beyond!

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