Sean Gouglas

Sean Gouglas is Senior Director of Interdisciplinary Studies in the Faculty of Arts and an Associate Professor in Humanities Computing at the University of Alberta. He is the Director of the Visualisation and Information Technologies in the Arts (VITA) Research Studio, which provides research infrastructure for projects in Computer Games Studies, Human-Computer Interaction, and Visual Communication. He sits on the Research Management Committee for a national research body called Graphics, Animation, and New Media (GRAND), also serving as one of the Big Data Theme leads for the same organisation.
Dr. Gouglas’ primary research focuses on two issues: first, the relationship between universities and the computer game industry in Canada, especially as it relates to curriculum development and intellectual property; and second, the role of women in computer games as characters, players and developers. He is currently completing a large research project on FemShep, the female protagonist in BioWare’s Mass Effect series.
Sean received his BA (1992) from the University of Western Ontario, and his MA (1993) and PhD (2001) from McMaster University. Prior to the change in focus to game studies, his research concerned environmental history of southern Ontario, coroners' investigations on the colonial frontier of western Canada, and the application of statistical and Geographic Information Systems technologies to colonial settlement histories.
More info: http://www.ois.ualberta.ca/People/AcademicFaculty/GouglasSeanHUCO.aspx