Drew Davidson

Research Interests

I am interested in stories and transformational experiences across texts, comics, games and other media, as well as conceptual interactive design, integrated narrative and interwoven media, collaborative design and development, applied media and game logics. My interdisciplinary theoretical interests focus on the performance of narratives between multiple media. I look to illustrate how we interact with our stories. I am intrigued by the way a medium can shape the creation and reception of meaning and how a range of media can be used to communicate ideas. I explore how the juxtaposition of various media can be made into an additive methodology that allows for continual (re)presentation and critical analysis. I would like to see more collaborative, dialogic and interactive work between scholars that reflects the interdependence of authors, readers, texts and other media, in establishing value and meaning. It is important to me to discover the possible and myriad applications of interactive media and emerging technologies that complement and enhance traditional media to develop pedagogies that inspire newly viable learning, teaching and communication.

I bring a diverse and deep educational perspective to my professional endeavors. I am continually looking for new opportunities and challenges in helping to design and develop integrated and engaging high-tech, rich media experiences for education and entertainment. My experience, expertise, and enthusiasm are invaluable in doing such work. I focus on integrating creative content, applied theory, and media technology to create engaging and relevant experiences for people. I am an expert in leading creative collaborations with interdisciplinary groups, orchestrating change, and building initiatives focused on making positive social impact.

My professional activities are closely related to my research interests, as I've worked hard to help grow fields of study, creating forums and organizations to foster academic scholarship in new areas, leading creative collaborations with interdisciplinary groups. I'm the Founder, President, and Editor-in-Chief of Play Story Press and the Well Played series and journal. I engage with academic and industry communities, consulting for companies, institutions and organizations, and serving on advisory, editorial and review boards as well as judge and jury panels. I've been involved in the advancement of the academic study of games, along with the design and development of transformational games. I've also been involved in the growing academic study and creation of crossmedia communications and transmedia experiences. And I've been involved in the scholarly study and production of creativity spaces in public institutions like museums, libraries, science centers and schools. With academic and industry colleagues, I am articulating best practices in creative development and how orchestrating inclusive practices enables more innovative collaborative work. And I'm conducting an exploratory qualitative study on the international fields of play with support from Connected Learning Alliance, Games for Change, Global Game Jam, International Game Developer Association, Higher Education Video Game Alliance, and IndieCade, along with the Pittsburgh Remake Learning Initiative and the Pittsburgh Technology Council. Throughout, I explore the art, design, and science of making media that matters, working to expand our notions of what media are capable of doing, and what we are capable of doing with media.