MSU MIND LAB

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I studied Digital Media Art and Technology at Michigan State University from 2000 to 2003. In my later years, I had the opportunity to work first as a student assistant and later as a lead designer at the MSU Media Interface Network Design (M.I.N.D.) Lab. I was also fortunate to continue collaborating with the lab after graduation, even as I began my faculty role at Savannah College of Art and Design after 2003. 

I am especially grateful to Professor, Dr Frank Biocca, who led the M.I.N.D. Lab and offered me my first research assistant position. His support opened the door for me to explore virtual reality as early as 2002—at a time when the technology was still rare and costly. I still remember the dedicated dark VR room in the lab; it felt almost magical, particularly during lab tours, and it sparked many ideas that shaped my early research interests.

I was fortunate to contribute to several research projects, including HomeNetToo, where I gained hands-on experience in research methods, data collection, and thesis writing. Dr. Biocca also served as my thesis chair and generously guided me into fields such as interactive media, cognitive science, and human–computer interaction. 

 

HomeNetToo UI. 2002. Source. MSU Thesis Library.

“Three computer interfaces – a standard web interface, a spatial
interface, and an interpersonal interface were constructed for experiments
that compared the effect of different interfaces on a person’s knowledge
gained with respect to their cognitive styles. The standard web browser
interface presented information in magazine-style and was used as a control
condition for the experiment. The spatial interface was a three-dimensional
environment where a test participant used a joystick and mouse to navigate
around different buildings with information presented as posters within the
buildings. The interpersonal interface used computer-generated talking avatar
as an agent to help test participants to access information.”

During my time at MSU, we began developing serious games as graduate students—often working late into the night, learning alongside inspiring young faculty at the time, Brian Winn and Carrie Heeter. It was also during this period that I attended my first SIGGRAPH and Game Developers Conference—experiences that left a lasting impression and gently shaped my academic and professional path.