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  • Gillian Smith
Gillian Smith
Gillian Smith
Computer Science
Assistant Professor
Affiliated Department or Office: 
Interactive Media & Game Development
Education: 
PhD Computer Science University of California at Santa Cruz 2012
MS Computer Science University of California at Santa Cruz 2009
BS Computer Science University of Virginia 2006

Dr. Smith's research interests are in computational creativity, game design, computer science education, and the intersection of traditional crafts and computation. Her interdisciplinary work merges technical research in AI and HCI with creative practice in textiles and games, with a view towards addressing social issues and broadening participation and perspectives on computing.

She is an award-winning game designer as co-creator of Threadsteading (in collaboration with Disney Research Pittsburgh), a game played on a consumer embroidery machine, as well as co-creator of eBee, a quilt-based board game that teaches basic principles of electricity. She also works with teaching computational thinking through game design, and using AI techniques to gain insight into player strategies and learning.

Prior to joining WPI, Dr. Smith was on the faculty at Northeastern University. She earned her PhD in Computer Science in 2012 from UC Santa Cruz, where she was a student in the Center for Games and Playable Media.

Office Location
Fuller Labs B23
Contact
Phone: 
508 831 6986
gmsmith@wpi.edu
https://twitter.com/gillianmsmith
Personal Website

Research Interests

Research Interests: 
Computational Creativity
Computational Craft
Procedural Content Generation
Artificial Intelligence and Social Justice

News

WPI researchers (from left) Hannah Smith, Francisco Castro, Olivia Bogs, Gillian Smith, Ivon Arroyo, Erin Ottmar, Richard Valente and Luisa Perez. alt
WPI researchers (from left) Hannah Smith, Francisco Castro, Olivia Bogs, Gillian Smith, Ivon Arroyo, Erin Ottmar, Richard Valente and Luisa Perez.
Press Release Research
WPI Awarded Grant to Help K-12 Students Design Math Games
December 05, 2019
Gillain Smith sits at a table and showcases her crafting work. The craft is multicolored, and she is wearing glasses and a floral shirt.
Daily Herd
WPI Professor Finds Inspiration at Intersection of Gaming and Crafts
August 17, 2018
Gillian Smith, assistant professor of computer science alt
Gillian Smith, assistant professor of computer science
Press Release
WPI and WCC Hold the First Computational Crafting Symposium
April 04, 2018
A hand covered by a white rubber glove holds up a pysanky, a green painted egg with colorful figures painted on it.
Daily Herd
Ukrainian Egg Decorating Takes a Modern Twist
March 29, 2018

Media Coverage

WPI Algorave

Worcester News Tonight covered New England's first Algorave, which was brought to PopUp Worcester by Charlie Roberts, assistant professor of computer science. Roberts, along with Gillian Smith, assistant professor of computer science, participated in live coding to create images and music simultaneously for attendees to enjoy. Roberts said one of the goals of the event was to combine computer science with art to make coding easier to digest and more accessible to students. (Clip begins at 9:21)

WNT logo
College Town: WPI prof creates game weaving quilting with computer science

The Telegram & Gazette profiled Gillian Smith, assistant professor of computer science, in this College Town article. 

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