Vitae Overview and Materials

Professor Phelps keeps a professional CV in PDF format, which is updated approximately once a year. His CV contains information on publications, presentations, student projects, grants, gifts, etc. In addition to his CV, he regards as final testament to his impact with students the fact that they created a 'muppet' in his likeness (pictured far right), through a process that involved multiple photographs, 3D models, coordinate mapping, and eventual hands-on construction. The muppet appeared in several student and faculty created videos, and was also used sporadically at the School of Interactive Games & Media booth at the annual Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco.

Phelps also keeps a portfolio of a few projects at his Adobe Behance profile, and maintains a professional profile at the School of Communication at American University. You can also find a list of some, but not all, of his work through his Google Scholar profile. Phelps also has materials available as a short two-page resume, and also makes available a collection of bio blocks at 200, 100, and 50 words. You may also reach him at the ORCiD below, although he does not maintain a list of scholarly works there at this time. Highlights of his career are also available as a single sheet infographic. Phelps is additionally recognized as a founding fellow of the Higher Education Video Game Alliance.

thumbnail of career infographic thumbnail of bio block sheet thumbnail of resume










pic of andy from microsoft video

The picture above is a still from a video that was produced by Microsoft Research [note that video requires Microsoft Silverlight player] around the Just Press Play project. The video featured comments by Professor Phelps as well as the RIT President and Provost as well as research directors at MSR.

While serving as Director of the School of Interactive Games & Media, Phelps recorded the video to the right at the request of the university Sponsored Research office, highlighting the various projects and research within the School. Phelps was engaged as a part of several of these projects to varying degrees, ranging from PI or co-PI to administrative support. As Director of IGM (and as Director of MAGIC), it was his role and responsibility to impart and support a wide and encompassing view of scholarship and creativity activity, serving both the faculty of IGM and numerous affiliate researchers from nearly every college and division at RIT. His research support helped enable projects ranging from VR re-creations of literature and narrative, games and interactive media applied to healthcare, education, and entrepreneurship and tourism, core advances in graphics and systems architecture, and numerous art and installation projects. (Embedded video is hosted via YouTube by 'ritetcproductions' and was recorded and edited by RIT ETC Productions. (c) RIT 2012).

While serving as Director of the RIT Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction & Creativity, Phelps was interviewed for the promotional video to the left reporting on the activities of the MAGIC Center, the associated MAGIC Spell Studios, as well as the Albert J. Simone Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and the Construct (RIT's makerspace). Together, these three entities along with the RIT Venture Creations incubator worked together to form a core of the RIT innovation ecosystem, as well as a 'pre-incubation' entrepreneurial network. MAGIC, in collaboration with the Simone Center, was recognized as a National Science Foundation i-CORE node during Phelps' tenure there. It was additionally recognized and connected through partnerships with Greater Rochester Enterprises, the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, Digital Rochester, and other entrepreneurial and business development networks. This worked in conjunction with academic programs, research partners, and recognition from the NY Empire State Development program to enable the expansion and support of digital media industry throughout the region, and was the basis for the formation and support for MAGIC Spell Studios. (Embedded video is hosted via YouTube by 'ritetcproductions' and was recorded and edited by RIT ETC Productions. (c) RIT 2017).

Professional Organizations & Affiliations

In addition to his many roles past & present at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Phelps also serves in a wide array of additional roles and is affiliated with several organizations. Current roles and responsibilities are noted here in the interest of transparency, and his formal vitae lists additional past affiliations and engagements.

bullet_imagePhelps currently serves as President (and is a co-founder) of the Higher Education Video Game Alliance
bullet_imagePhelps currently serves on the Unity Global Education Advisory Board
bullet_imagePhelps currently serves as an Adobe Education Leader
bullet_imagePhelps currently serves as a judge for the Adobe Design Achievement Awards
bullet_imagePhelps served as a member of the board for the Adobe Partners by Design program from 2014-2018
bullet_imagePhelps is a member of the International Game Developer's Association.
bullet_imagePhelps is a member of the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA).
bullet_imagePhelps is a lifetime member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honors Society, inducted in fall of 2000
bullet_imagePhelps is a lifetime member of the Golden Key National Honors Society, inducted in fall of 1996
bullet_imagePhelps is a member of the National Communication Association (NCA) and NCA Game Studies Division
bullet_imagePhelps is a member of multple program committees, review panels, and assessment teams, and has served as a reviewer and outside evaluator for promotion and tenure, as well as program and center evalation, at multiple universities as noted in his CV.
bullet_imagePhelps has served as a judge or advisor to several contests and game challenges including those at Games 4 Change, Microsoft Imagine Cup (multiple years including world-wide finals), Games+Learning+Society, the New York State Gamedev Challenge, the Gotland Game Competition (pictured below) and others.
bullet_imageIn 2021 Phelps was a co-founder and co-organizer of IndieCade HORIZONS, a new event aimed at bringing together students and academics world-wide in the celebration of student games and game programs. The initial conference had representatives from more than 20 colleges and universities worldwide and was held online in June of 2021.

Phelps presenting the people's choice award at GGC 2019

Recent External Articles & Coverage

The following is a brief list of articles that feature interviews or discussions with Professor Phelps and are recent enough to be meaningful. Additional interviews and press clippings are noted in his CV, and are largely searchable online.

bullet_image01/22/2022 Canterbury University making waves in film gaming industry with new $97m digital screen campus Newshub NZ [online article and video interview]
bullet_image01/21/2022 We can shoot any world we want': New $95m film studio planned for Christchurch Stuff.co.nz
bullet_image01/21/2022 New Zealand to Build Digital Screen Campus at Christchurch (EXCLUSIVE) Variety
bullet_image04/16/2020 Games in the Pandemic Era of Social Distancing. Five minute live television interview on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (AMC) 24-7 News Channel. (Video not available). In response to this piece published in The Conversation, which was futher adapted by Modern Australian, Kotaku, and the NZ Evening Report.
bullet_image05/30/2019 University Pours $7.7 Million into Immersive Gaming Research Campus Technology
bullet_image03/06/2019 When a Passion for Videogames Helps Land That Job Wall Street Journal
bullet_image09/08/2017 Level Up! RIT Constructs New MAGIC Center Reporter Magazine
bullet_image11/29/2016 Engineering the Happy Accident Campus Technology
bullet_image08/04/2016 Digital Game-Based Learning in Higher Ed Moves Beyond the Hype EdSurge
bullet_image11/15/2016 RIT Launches New Building Devoted to Gaming, Digital Media and More Campus Technology
bullet_image2014 Interview about formation of HEVGA Time Warner Cable News [VIDEO]
bullet_image12/10/2014 Developing an Industry CITY Newspaper
bullet_image08/05/2013 Why Gamification Is Winning Points on Campus EdTech
bullet_image2012 Interview with Lori Sortino Serious Games [VIDEO]

University News Stories & Coverage

The following are a list of university news articles that either (a) directly quote Professor Phelps, (b) report on the activities or accomplishments of the MAGIC Center or School of Interactive Games & Media during his tenure as director, or (c) report advances in projects or activities for which he was involved as a member of the project team or advisor.

bullet_image08/26/2022 UC Celebrates a Truly International Graduate
bullet_image01/22/2022 UC Eyes the Future of Digital Screen Convergence
bullet_image10/08/2019 School of Communication | Get to Know Them: Andrew Phelps
bullet_image05/29/2019 University of Canterbury’s funding boost for immersive games technology
bullet_image05/26/2019 University of Canterbury receives more than $7.5 million funding for immersive gaming research
bullet_image05/20/2019 University of Canterbury to boost immersive gaming
bullet_image05/20/2019 Govt & Canterbury Uni pour $7m into gaming research
bullet_image05/16/2019 UC's $7.7m boost to NZ immersive gaming sector
bullet_image05/30/2018 RIT again ranked No. 1 game design school on the East Coast
bullet_image04/13/2018 RIT students take top awards at statewide Game Development Challenge
bullet_image03/19/2018 RIT students, faculty head to California for annual Game Developers Conference
bullet_image03/19/2018 Video game made by alumni coming to Playstation 4
bullet_image03/13/2018 Princeton Review ranks RIT’s video game design programs among the top in the nation
bullet_image02/09/2018 Student-made game to be presented at Game Developers Conference
bullet_image01/26/2018 Emerging 3D-printing applications at RIT
bullet_image01/11/2018 Top RIT News stories and videos for 2017
bullet_image01/03/2018 RIT to host statewide Game Dev Challenge kick-off event Jan. 19
bullet_image01/03/2018 Top RIT News stories for December 2017
bullet_image12/13/2017 Learn more about RIT’s entrepreneurial ecosystem...
bullet_image12/11/2017 RIT professor launches table-top games to enhance people’s understanding of religion
bullet_image12/07/2017 Creating a Holo-Assistant with Chirag Kular
bullet_image11/28/2017 RIT’s Andrew Phelps named president of Higher Education Video Game Alliance
bullet_image11/02/2017 Student uses technology to help humanitarian causes at UNICEF International
bullet_image10/16/2017 Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra partners with RIT’s MAGIC Spell Studios...
bullet_image10/03/2017 Top RIT News stories and videos for September 2017
bullet_image09/25/2017 RIT MAGIC Center co-sponsors game festival at Irondequoit Public Library
bullet_image09/20/2017 RIT staffer, alumni win big at Digital Rochester GREAT Awards
bullet_image09/14/2017 Filmmaker Cailleah Scott-Grimes brings her award-winning documentary to RIT Sept. 21
bullet_image09/11/2017 RIT’s brightest experts to highlight Light and Sound Interactive Sept. 12–14
bullet_image09/07/2017 RIT helps create virtual reality ‘MAGIC’ for Buffalo Bills
bullet_image08/18/2017 Summertime, and the students were busy (and in business)
bullet_image08/02/2017 International conference on Japanese video game industry comes to Rochester Aug. 21–23
bullet_image05/23/2017 Staff Spotlight: Robert Mostyn
bullet_image05/12/2017 New nine-credit general education immersion course is a first for RIT
bullet_image05/09/2017 RIT MAGIC Center announces winners of statewide Game Development Challenge
bullet_image05/04/2017 RIT ranked No. 1 game design school on the East Coast
bullet_image05/03/2017 RIT featured among ‘Colleges That Create Futures’
bullet_image04/25/2017 RIT is local site for 2017 International NASA Space Apps Challenge, April 29–30
bullet_image04/25/2017 RIT’s MAGIC speaker series wraps up 2016-2017 season on April 26
bullet_image03/21/2017 RIT’s video game design programs jump in Princeton Review rankings
bullet_image03/09/2017 RIT to host statewide Game Dev Challenge kickoff March 10
bullet_image03/03/2017 RIT student-created game competes in 2017 Intel University Games Showcase
bullet_image03/01/2017 RIT student John Miller hopes to make an impact at national gaming conference
bullet_image02/20/2017 RIT students, faculty head to California for annual Game Developers Conference
bullet_image12/19/2016 RIT professor awarded NEH grant to enhance religious literacy through gaming
bullet_image12/12/2016 RIT professor awarded NSF grant to benefit the next generation of games and learning scholars
bullet_image12/09/2016 MAGIC Spell Studios celebrates official launch
bullet_image12/01/2016 Top RIT News stories and videos for November 2016
bullet_image11/15/2016 RIT officially launches MAGIC Spell Studios, aimed at convergence of digital media disciplines
bullet_image11/10/2016 Local video game developers, entrepreneurs will speak on campus Nov. 14
bullet_image11/01/2016 Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra partners with RIT, MAGIC Spell Studios...
bullet_image09/15/2016 Card game created by RIT students now licensed by Hasbro
bullet_image09/12/2016 RIT’s MAGIC speaker series kicks off 2016-2017 season on Sept. 16
bullet_image08/29/2016 RIT to become first university to publish video game on Xbox One platform
bullet_image08/26/2016 Top RIT News stories and videos from summer 2016
bullet_image08/17/2016 MAGIC’s trustee-funded Co-Up program wraps up with second successful year
bullet_image08/17/2016 An Innovation Ecosystem
bullet_image08/02/2016 We’ve Got the Next Big Idea
bullet_image06/17/2016 RIT’s Dan Schneiderman represents New York state at White House ‘makers’ event
bullet_image04/29/2016 Imagine RIT exhibit allows visitors to ‘delve into dungeons’
bullet_image04/27/2016 Three video games with ties to RIT featured at PAX East Indie showcase
bullet_image04/21/2016 RIT is local site for 2016 International NASA Space Apps Challenge, April 23–24
bullet_image04/07/2016 2016 Imagine RIT set for May 7
bullet_image03/18/2016 RIT takes third place in Best Visual Quality in 2016 Intel University Games Showcase
bullet_image03/17/2016 RIT’s MAGIC Spell Studios joins forces with virtual reality giant, videogame developer Crytek
bullet_image03/15/2016 RIT student earns Intel Award for female, underrepresented game design students GDC
bullet_image03/15/2016 Princeton Review Ranks RIT as a top video-game design school
bullet_image03/14/2016 RIT students, faculty head to California for annual Game Developers Conference
bullet_image02/22/2016 RIT hosts all-women hackathon Feb. 27 and 28
bullet_image02/15/2016 RIT MAGIC Center kicks off spring speaker series with privacy expert Feb. 18
bullet_image02/04/2016 Electronic Gaming Society president prepares for Fusion Fest 2016
bullet_image02/03/2016 Gaming for good: RIT gamers host LAN party to support Cancer Wellness Connections, Feb. 5-6
bullet_image01/26/2016 RIT named one of three Digital Gaming Hubs in New York state
bullet_image01/14/2016 MAGIC Spell Studios video game to be displayed at Smithsonian ‘pop-up’ arcade Jan. 16
bullet_image12/11/2015 RIT to host second annual Congressional App Challenge kick-off event Dec. 12
bullet_image12/10/2015 MAGIC virtual reality lab will serve as a one-stop shop...
bullet_image11/20/2015 Merging art history with digital gaming
bullet_image11/04/2015 RIT students vying for Hasbro top prize
bullet_image10/29/2015 RIT MAGIC Center director briefs Congressional members on U.S. video game industry
bullet_image10/16/2015 Noted jazz biographer to talk on former Rochesterian Pepper Adams
bullet_image10/13/2015 RIT’s Center for MAGIC welcomes social-media etiquette expert Oct. 22
bullet_image09/23/2015 Plans for RIT’s new film industry-standard sound stage begin to come into focus
bullet_image08/26/2015 Top RIT News stories from the summer
bullet_image08/14/2015 Co-op gets the MAGIC touch
bullet_image08/14/2015 RIT announces investments in MAGIC Spell Studios...
bullet_image07/22/2015 RIT’s Center for MAGIC develops new initiative to encourage student humanitarian work...
bullet_image07/20/2015 Free and open source software culture at RIT continues to grow
bullet_image07/09/2015 RIT announces investments in MAGIC Spell Studios...
bullet_image06/19/2015 RIT recognized for public relations work at 2015 PRism Awards
bullet_image06/15/2015 RIT selected to host New Media Consortium in June 2016
bullet_image06/03/2015 Adobe sponsors new media senior projects for student designers and developers
bullet_image05/21/2015 RIT center continues to make ‘MAGIC’
bullet_image04/30/2015 RIT students create video game to help children learn to read
bullet_image04/24/2015 RIT students take top prize in Microsoft’s U.S. Imagine Cup National Finals
bullet_image04/14/2015 MAGIC Speaker Series welcomes three speakers in April to discuss digital culture
bullet_image04/03/2015 The Harmonica and the Blues
bullet_image04/03/2015 Student-created video game selected for international exhibit
bullet_image03/24/2015 RIT’s video game design programs jump in Princeton Review rankings
bullet_image03/17/2015 RIT gamers support Cancer Wellness Connections through LAN party March 20
bullet_image03/06/2015 RIT students take top award in Intel University Games Showcase
bullet_image03/04/2015 Class of RIT students develop and publish Splattershmup video game
bullet_image03/03/2015 Top RIT News stories and videos for February 2015
bullet_image03/02/2015 RIT students California-bound for Game Developers Conference
bullet_image02/12/2015 RIT MAGIC Center publishes student video game on Steam for the first time
bullet_image02/03/2015 Top RIT News stories and videos for January 2015
bullet_image02/02/2015 MAGIC Speaker Series looks to spark ideas about digital culture at RIT
bullet_image01/07/2015 Top RIT News stories and videos for 2014
bullet_image01/07/2015 Top RIT News stories and videos for December 2014
bullet_image12/17/2014 RIT featured in Google’s Year in Search 2014 video
bullet_image12/16/2014 Jewish Play Project explores relationship between Jewish creators and the play industries
bullet_image12/11/2014 RIT project wins funding in NYS Regional Economic Development Councils competition
bullet_image12/01/2014 Top RIT News stories and videos for November 2014
bullet_image11/18/2014 Girl Develop It aims to bridge gender gap in tech fields
bullet_image11/18/2014 The science behind 3D-printed prostheses
bullet_image11/18/2014 A new hand for Lucas
bullet_image11/11/2014 MAGIC Speaker Series looks to spark ideas about digital culture at RIT
bullet_image10/02/2014 Top RIT News stories and videos for September 2014
bullet_image09/29/2014 RIT takes part in national conference devoted to inexpensive 3D-printed prosthetic devices
bullet_image09/22/2014 National conference to focus on work begun at RIT
bullet_image09/16/2014 RIT hosts 2014 Software Freedom Day Rochester Sept. 20–21
bullet_image08/05/2014 Hackathons help students get jobs, make a difference
bullet_image07/28/2014 U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce tours RIT to review federal investments
bullet_image07/08/2014 RIT students study abroad to explore video game industry in Germany
bullet_image07/01/2014 RIT joins top game design programs in founding Higher Education Video Game Alliance
bullet_image06/23/2014 RIT professor receives Fulbright Grant to develop game design minor in Croatia
bullet_image05/26/2014 RIT receives $300,000 NSF Innovation Corps Sites grant to advance commercialization
bullet_image05/14/2014 RIT students, alumni and staff among winners of 2014 AT&T Rochester Civic App Challenge
bullet_image04/25/2014 Adobe Vice President of Experience Design and Creativity to attend Imagine RIT May 3
bullet_image04/03/2014 App contest encourages community involvement
bullet_image04/01/2014 Top RIT News Stories and Videos for March 2014
bullet_image03/17/2014 MAGIC Speaker Series explores individual privacy on social networks March 19
bullet_image03/14/2014 Unconference for Rochester area K-12 educators looks to discuss digital media in education
bullet_image03/11/2014 Princeton Review Ranks RIT as a top video-game design school
bullet_image03/06/2014 RIT launches nation’s first minor in free and open source software and free culture
bullet_image02/24/2014 Online community of makers creates and improves 3D printed prosthetics for those in need
bullet_image02/20/2014 Announcing the AT&T Rochester Civic App Challenge
bullet_image02/13/2014 Developer ‘breaks the chains’ of traditional video games
bullet_image01/28/2014 RIT MAGIC Center explores digital media with two speakers Feb. 10 and 12
bullet_image01/23/2014 RIT/NTID students accepted into high-tech business accelerator
bullet_image12/05/2013 New treatment helps autistic children navigate the world
bullet_image12/04/2013 MAGIC Speaker Series looks to spark ideas about digital culture at RIT
bullet_image11/20/2013 RIT professor earns more than $11,000 in Kickstarter for multi-player video game
bullet_image11/14/2013 RIT ‘Celebration of Research’ set for Nov. 19
bullet_image11/07/2013 RIT digital humanities series brings author, Internet freedom advocate to campus Nov. 11
bullet_image10/16/2013 State Senate committee discussing ways to grow video game development industry
bullet_image10/10/2013 RIT’s ‘MAGIC’ Center
bullet_image07/22/2013 New digital media research center makes MAGIC
bullet_image07/11/2013 ‘Sky Time’ video game selected for White House Champions of Change event July 23
bullet_image06/20/2013 ‘Q&A with game designers John and Brenda Romero June 28 at RIT
bullet_image04/22/2013 Two RIT teams head to International NASA Space Apps Challenge
bullet_image04/08/2013 RIT hosts talk with active learning expert and author Walter Bender April 17
bullet_image03/28/2013 Red Hat donates to RIT’s MAGIC Center for open source software education program
bullet_image02/15/2013 RIT launches new research center dedicated to digital media
bullet_image10/13/2011 Video Game Helps Students Excel Academically and Socially
bullet_image10/12/2011 Microsoft Research to Visit RIT for ‘Just Press Play’ Launch Oct. 13
bullet_image06/15/2011 Microsoft-Funded Gaming Project Encourages Students to ‘Just Press Play’
bullet_image03/07/2011 RIT Forms School of Interactive Games and Media
bullet_image03/01/2011 Princeton Review Ranks RIT as a Top 10 Video-Game Design School
bullet_image10/01/2009 Renowned Video Gaming Innovators to Speak at RIT Oct. 2
bullet_image05/14/2009 New Video Game Lays Off Workers at Rapid Pace
bullet_image02/08/2007 RIT Brings its "A" Game! University Offers Bachelor's in Game Design and Development
bullet_image01/11/2007 Microsoft Research supports 'game play' in the classroom
bullet_image11/16/2006 RIT’s Computing College Offering Three New Master of Science Degrees

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