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Marcello A. Gómez Maureira

Researcher and Designer

Marcello - or Maro for short - loves his work. Sure, at times it can feel like a one-sided relationship, when he battles on only armed with coffee, aiming for the perfect result. But nonetheless, it remains his trusty companion through life. He is ambitious, a bit geeky, fascinated by good design, and a challenging conversation partner when discussing the topics he feels passionate about.

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Latest Work Positions
  • Present
    Sep 2017
    Lecturer
    Leiden University — Leiden, The Netherlands

    • Video Games for Research (MSc.; self-developed; since 2021)
    • Hands-On: Reflective Game Development in Action (BSc.; since 2019)
    • Introduction to Video Game Making (BSc.; self-developed; since 2017)
    • Creative Programming (MSc.; since 2020)
    • Game Design, Story-Telling and Society (BSc.; self-developed; 2018-2019)
    • Introduction to Programming (MSc.; 2017-2019)

  • Aug 2017
    Apr 2017
    Graduation Coordinator
    Leiden University — Leiden, The Netherlands

    Research and organisation support for graduating students of the Media Technology MSc. at Leiden University.

  • Present
    Mar 2017
    Company Co-Owner
    Dandy Unicorns VOF — Zoetermeer, The Netherlands

    Dandy Unicorns is a Dutch VOF made up of the dynamic duo Marcello Gómez Maureira and Isabelle Kniestedt. Our core specialties are the fields of Graphic Design, Animation, (Digital) Games, Interactive Applications, Visualizations, and Web Design.

Find earlier positions here ... Previous Positions

Education

  • 2022
    2018
    Ph.D. Curiosity in Digital Games
    Leiden University — Leiden, The Netherlands
    Eliciting curiosity and exploration through digital games.
  • 2017
    2016
    Ph.D. Curiosity in Digital Games
    University of Malta — Malta
    First year at Malta; continuation at Leiden University
  • 2015
    2013
    M.Sc. Media Technology
    Leiden University — Leiden, Netherlands
    Thesis: "The Impact of Co-Located Play on Social Presence and Game Experience in Virtual Reality Games" (published in peer-review proceedings)
    Graduated Cum Laude
  • 2013
    2007
    B.Eng. Game Architecture & Design
    Breda University of Applied Sciences — Breda, Netherlands
    Visual Artist Track. Thesis: "SuperTux: A Song of Ice and Metrics - Comparing Metrics, Biometrics and Classic Methodologies for Improving Level Design" (peer-review journal publication; Winner of Best HCI Thesis 2013)
    Graduated Cum Laude
  • 2006
    2001
    Diploma in Mechatronics
    Federal Technical College of Engineering — Mödling, Austria
    Graduation Project: "Toothbrush Test Bench - Construction of a mechanical test apparatus"
    Graduated Cum Laude

Other Activities

  • Sep 2022
    Conference Workshop — Organization

    FDG 2022 Workshop: "Developing Digital Games in and for Academic Contexts" (Upcoming)
  • Mar 2020
    Symposium — Organizing Committee Member

    '360 Degrees of Data Science'
  • Feb 2020
    BKO Certificate — Recipient

    Completion of the 'BKO' Dutch Teaching Qualification
  • Dec 2019
    Research Group — Co-Founder

    Co-Founder of the 'Game Research Lab' (GRL) at Leiden University
  • Aug 2019
    Science Event — Research and Organization

    CIL Project: 'Lowlands Whispers' - Large-scale Popular Science Event & Experiment at the Dutch Lowlands Festival
  • Sep 2018
    Research Group — Founding Member

    Support in founding the 'Creative Intelligence Lab' (CIL) at Leiden University
  • Jul 2018
    Summer School — Participant

    International Summer School in Affective Sciences (ISSAS) (2 Weeks)
  • Aug 2017
    Summer School — Participant

    Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience: From Molecule to Behavior (1 Week)
  • Aug 2017
    Summer School — Participant

    Being in an Online World - Towards a New Digital Psychology (1 Week)
  • Nov 2016
    Conference — Organizing Committee Member

    Philosophy of Computer Games Conference (POCG) 2016
  • Apr 2014
    Award — Recipient

    CHI Nederland: Gerrit van der Veer Award - Best HCI Thesis (Bachelor & Master) of 2013 (B.Eng. Thesis)
  • Sep 2011
    Scholarship — Recipient

    Huygens Talent Scholarship 2011 - for excellent international students seeking to continue their studies in the Netherlands

Student Supervision

  • 2022
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Roman Guérin — Design Principles for Social Robots to Reduce Unwanted AI Bias in Human-Robot Interaction
    Together with Rob Saunders
  • 2022
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Lisanne Wartna — Moderating Toxic Behavior Through UX/UI Design
    Together with Zane Kripe
  • 2022
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Anastasia Thambwe — When The Game Chooses the Player - A Study about Games for Leadership Assessment
    Together with Peter van der Putten
  • 2021
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Ásbjörn Erlingsson — Embodiment in First-Person Video Games
    Together with Tessa Verhoef
  • 2021
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Edith Järv — All Work and No Play Makes Jack an Inefficient Employee - A Study on Video Games' Effects on Sustained Attention
    Together with Iris Yocarini
  • 2021
    M.Sc. Thesis in Interaction Technology (University of Twente)
    Claudia A. Libbi — When Life Gives you Lemons: Designing a Game With and for Autistic Girls
    Together with Carolien Rieffe, Jelle van Dijk, and Daniel Davidson
  • 2020
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Romy Koch — Losing yourself; the bidirectional influence of the player and the role in table top role playing games
    Together with Max J. van Duijn
  • 2020
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Jeannette Shijie Ma — Eating Sound Dataset for 20 Food Types and Sound Classification Using Convolutional Neural Networks
    Together with Jan N. van Rijn
  • 2020
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Claudia M. Agustini Quiroz — Narrative Choices and Agency
    Together with Max J. van Duijn
  • 2019
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Lotte van der Kamp — First Person vs. Third Person perspective in a digital Memory Palace
    Together with Tessa Verhoef
  • 2019
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Giulio Barbero — Intentionality and Engagement: The effects of video game engagement on mindreading performance
    Together with Max J. van Duijn
  • 2018
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Yanni Xiong — Gamified Learning: Using Narrative to Enhance Second Language Learning
    Together with Fons J. Verbeek
  • 2018
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Pinhsien Lee — Bring you closer to me: Does visually co-located video-mediated-communication draw more attention to the conversation?
    Together with Maarten H. Lamers
  • 2018
    Media Technology -- Semester Project (Leiden University)
    Joëlle Zweekhorst, Nadine Roos and Ayla Koster — Escape Womb
    Together with the Media Technology teaching team
  • 2017
    M.Sc. Thesis in Digital Games (University of Malta)
    Suus De Kock — Heritage Hunt - Developing a Roleplaying Game for Heritage Museums
    Together with Stefano Gualeni
  • 2017
    M.Sc. Thesis in Media Technology (Leiden University)
    Adiel Ghafoerkhan — Mood Journaling - An Exploration Of Real Time Mood Developments As A Function Of Heart Rate
    Together with Edwin van der Heide

Previous Positions

  • Present
    Nov 2016
    Director
    Placeholder Interactive Ltd. — Malta

    Placeholder Interactive Limited (aka PHI Ltd.) is the actual, non-placeholder, name of a game company in Malta working on video games for the classroom. The first project 'Ariana's Magical Journal on Light' received funding from the Malta Information Technology Agency.

  • Dec 2016
    Oct 2016
    Lecturer
    University of Malta — Malta

    Creating Virtual Worlds (BSc. & MSc)

  • Dec 2016
    May 2016
    Research Support Officer
    University of Malta — Malta

    Research and design work as part of the Erasmus+ funded game development project "FORETELL".

  • Jun 2016
    Feb 2016
    Teaching Assistant
    University of Malta — Malta

    Assisting with the course "Affective Computing", teaching Master students about analyzing and measuring physiological responses for the purpose of understanding and modifying player behavior in digital games.

  • Dec 2016
    Dec 2015
    Co-Owner
    Dandy Unicorns Ltd. — Malta

    Dandy Unicorns Ltd. was a Malta-based company working on Graphic Design, Animation, (Digital) Games, Interactive Applications, Visualizations, and Web Design. The company was closed and re-opened in The Netherlands in 2017.

  • Jun 2015
    Jan 2015
    Research Assistant
    Breda University of Applied Sciences — Breda, The Netherlands

    Research into the visualisation of video game player data to support informed design decisions

  • Jun 2015
    Sep 2014
    Teaching Assistant
    Leiden University — Leiden, The Netherlands

    Assisting with the courses "Introduction to Programming", "Human Computer Interaction", and "Embodied Vision" (focus on Virtual Reality)

  • Aug 2013
    Jan 2013
    Research Assistant
    Breda University of Applied Sciences — Breda, The Netherlands

    Assisting research into location-based content delivery as evaluated in a CAVE environment. Support and supervision in Bachelor graduation projects.

  • Jan 2013
    Sep 2012
    Teaching Assistant
    Breda University of Applied Sciences — Breda, The Netherlands

    Assisting with the courses 'Ludology' and 'Game Architecture'

  • Jul 2012
    Jun 2011
    Freelance Game and Interface Designer
    Double Jungle — Breda, The Netherlands

    Project work on an unreleased browser game

  • Sep 2011
    Apr 2011
    Research Intern
    Breda University of Applied Sciences — Breda, The Netherlands

    Internship at the NHTV Medialab with a focus on Biometric QA research.

  • May 2012
    May 2010
    Freelance Visual Artist and Interface Designer
    Double Jungle — Breda, The Netherlands

    Project work on the critically acclaimed action-puzzle video game "Gua-Le-Ni" released for iOS (www.gua-le-ni.com)

  • Jan 2010
    Sep 2009
    Freelance Game Designer
    ForwardGames S.r.l. — Breda, The Netherlands

    Design work for an unreleased Nintendo DS game.

  • Jul 2009
    May 2009
    Trainee Cinematic Artist
    Playlogic Game Factory — Breda, The Netherlands

    Cinematic Artist on the game "Fairy Tale Fights" for Xbox360 and PlayStation 3.

  • Apr 2009
    Jan 2009
    Game Tester
    Playlogic Game Factory — Breda, The Netherlands
  • Mar 2007
    Jan 2007
    Design Engineer Intern
    LMF — Leobersdorf, Austria

Review Activities

  • FDG 2022
    Conference
    17th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games 2022
  • FDG 2021
    Conference
    16th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games 2021
  • DIS 2021
    Conference
    2021 ACM Designing Interactive Systems (DIS) conference
  • CHI 2021
    Conference
    2021 ACM CHI Virtual Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
  • MISDOOM 2020
    Conference
    2nd Multidisciplinary International Symposium on Disinformation in Open Online Media
  • FDG 2020
    Conference
    International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games 2020
  • TAFFC 2019
    Journal
    IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing (April 2019)
  • ENTCOM 2019
    Journal
    Entertainment Computing
  • FDG 2018
    Conference
    International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games 2018
  • ENTCOM 2018
    Journal
    Entertainment Computing
  • DiGRA 2017
    Conference
    10th Digital Games Research Association Conference
  • ACE 2017
    Conference
    14th Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology Conference
  • IEEE TAC 2016
    Journal
    IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing (Nov 2016)
  • DIS 2016
    Conference
    ACM SIGCHI Conference on Designing Interactive Systems 2016
  • ACE 2016
    Conference
    13th Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology Conference
  • ACE 2015
    Conference
    12th Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology Conference