Darren Cole
PhD in Computational Media
Artist Darren loves to dream big and appreciates WPI’s dedication to helping students achieve their goals.
Passionate gamers who are also artists, programmers, storytellers, musicians, and explorers find their way to WPI’s Interactive Media and Game Development (IMGD) Program. Trailblazers as individuals and as a community, WPI’s IMGD faculty and students push the boundaries of new worlds of emerging media, from mobile gaming to intelligent tutoring.
WPI’s IMGD program, one of the earliest gaming programs in the nation, blends the artistic and technical aspects of game development and interactive media. Our research and courses span such diverse topics as digital painting, 3-D modeling, writing for games, game audio, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. Working alongside renowned faculty researchers and industry advisors, students immerse themselves in creating games and interactive environments that shape advances in the gaming industry as well as areas like education, healthcare, art, and social sciences.
Contact
Degrees & Certificates
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Paloma Gonzalez
With a passion for interactive media and art in general, Paloma’s dream is to work in designing interactive museum exhibits.
Mariko Endo
Mari is a UI/UX graphic designer with a focus on creating experiences that are easy on both the eyes and the mind.
Dean O’Donnell
Dean is interested in both live and pre-made experiences like ARGs and escape rooms. He has been part of IMGD since its founding.
Issa Shulman
Issa is a writer and developer interested in all forms of storytelling, particularly stories told through games.
Kaamil Lokhandwala
Kaamil is a visual artist who dabbles in game design, focusing on the stories and voices of those who are not commonly heard.
Dylan Valev
Dylan is an experimental VFX artist and game developer seeking to push the boundaries of interactive media.
Gillian Smith
As an IMGD Associate Professor, Gillian’s research focuses on the intersection of social justice with computational media and AI.
Ed Gutierrez
Ed is an Assistant Professor coming from a long and successful career in 2D animation. He teaches animation while creating animated short films focused on the environment and other issues.
Yaseen Nagib
Yaseen is the Vice President of the IGDA WPI chapter. He loves to design characters and work with other people who love games.
Meet Our Students
Karen R.
MS, Interactive Media and Game Development (IMGD)
Abdah St. Fleur
Dual MS in Production Management (IMGD) and MSIUX
Supportive faculty and a focus on project-based learning helped Abdah bring her gaming dreams to life through her graduate thesis.
Evans Owusu
Freshman, BS in Computer Science and Interactive Media & Game Development
Evans’s WPI journey is just beginning, but the opportunities they've already experienced on campus have allowed them to push themselves and focus on personal growth.
Mikel M.
BS, Computer Science and Interactive Media & Game Development (IMGD)
News
Announcements
February 09, 2022
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
February 04, 2022
School of Arts & Sciences
February 04, 2022
School of Arts & Sciences
Media Coverage
WAGM
CBS affiliate WAGM (Maine) highlighted WPI’s Interactive Media and Game Development (IMGD) program, noting it is one of the earliest gaming programs in the nation, as part of a segment on a local teenager who was accepted at WPI, his self-proclaimed dream school (5:39:42 mark)! The report also noted high marks the Princeton Review has given WPI’s IMGD in past rankings. Meanwhile, WPI was the only school Daniel Brower applied to. “I was freaking out all day because acceptance letters were coming out at 5 p.m. online,” Brower said. “I opened it. I was like, ‘yes!’” In fact, he said he is following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather, who was also accepted at WPI but never attended due to his serving in the military during World War II.
Worcester Business Journal
WPI is noted throughout the article, “Worcester’s colleges have fostered a startup ecosystem to help students become business owners.” The decision by the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute to move to WPI reflects the university’s “world-renowned video game development programs,” the article stated. It also noted how the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce partners with “WPI’s Venture Forum and the business incubator and coworking space WorcLab to run an annual program known as StartUp Worcester to help young entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground.”
IMGD Opportunities
WPI graduate and undergraduate students alike have the chance to share their impressive games at prestigious events, including the Game Developers Conference and PAX East, where students are responsible for planning, designing, and running WPI’s booth at the exhibitor hall. Conferences and opportunities like these are the perfect way for students to take their first steps into the industry and network with professionals.
Join the IMGD Community
At WPI, you’re part of a diverse and supportive community that helps each other learn and grow. So don’t stay cooped up in your dorm room making games on your own—get involved with all the IMGD-related clubs on campus, start your own game studio with your fellow friendly neighborhood IMGD students, and immerse yourself in everything that IMGD has to offer!