Dr. Edward Melcer

Biography

Edward Melcer is an independent game developer and Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science at Carleton University, where he serves as the Director of the Alternative Learning Technologies Games Lab. He received his Ph.D. from New York University's Tandon School of Engineering in 2018 and has a strong background in human-computer interaction and game design. Melcer has previously worked as an Associate Professor of Computational Media at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His research focuses on serious games, particularly in leveraging game design to enhance educational outcomes such as self-efficacy, interest, motivation, and decision-making. His work on game-based assessment for medical trainees has been recognized with the Excellence in Research Award from the American College of Surgeons. In addition, he has received multiple Honorable Mention awards at the ACM CHI Conference for his research on embodied learning games. His serious games have been awarded in venues such as IndieCade and the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge. Melcer's research has global implications, being implemented across North America, East Asia, and Africa in various educational contexts.

Research Interests