The Winona State University CLASP Lecture Series will host ” Video games, self-identity, and social capital: A gamer’s perspective” with Ken Graetz, Dennis Santiago, Charlie Utzman and Amir Hossain at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, in Stark Auditorium, room 103.
This event is part of the 2016-17 University Theme, Our Digital Humanity.
This presentation will cover the topic of how social values, skills, self-identity, and perceptions of reality are impacted by video games that have become increasingly interactive and social.
Graetz, Santiago, Utzman and Hossain will also talk about whether or not people interact differently within the gaming context and the impact this has on real-life relationships.
Graetz earned his PhD in social psychology from the University of North Carolina and currently serve as the Director of Teaching, Learning, and Technology Services at WSU.
Graetz is currently testing several promising massively multiplayer online games, including Crowfall, Shroud of the Avatar, Star Citizen, Life is Feudal, and the re-release of darkfall Online. He also runs virtual Dungeons & Dragons campaigns using a program called Fantasy Grounds. Graetz has been a member of the Honor Guard guild for the last seven years. His in game name is Torradan.
Santiago earned his undergraduate degree in public health from WSU and is beginning his second year in Winona State’s Organizational Leadership graduate program, focusing on instructional technology, universal design and accessibility. Santiago has been a gamer for the past four years and is currently playing Guild Wars 2. His in game name is Bear_Fluffy, and he is a member of the Bad Guys Anonymous guild.
Hossain is a junior at WSU studying computer science with a professional interest in mobile app development. He has been a gamer for the past nine years and is currently active in Counter-Strike and Clash of Clans. His in game name is IRONTIMIR and he is a member of the BANGLACLASHERS clan.
Utzman is a senior English major at WSU. Utzman has been playing video games his whole life, starting with his parents’ Nintendo Entertainment System. He is currently active in Overwatch, Undertale, the re-mastered version of Bioshock, Counter-Strike and Rocket League.
CLASP is the Consortium of Liberal Arts and Science Promotion. The CLASP lecture series was initiated in 2004 and is intended to promote interdisciplinary discussion and exchange.
The 2016-17 University Theme, Our Digital Humanity, examines human life in the digital age, exploring the impact digital tools have on individuals, institutions, systems, societies, our interconnected world, and implications for our collective future. Our Digital Humanity seeks to explore how digital tools have changed the way WSU faculty, staff and students research, create, communicate, relate, learn and teach.
This event is free and open to the public and is available for stream via ITV in CF 103 on the Rochester campus.
For more information, contact David Speetzen at DSpeetzen@winona.edu.
