The World Languages and Digital Humanities Studio will host the semester's kickoff event: "Lightning Talks: Game-Based Approaches to Teaching and Research" from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, in J.B. Hunt Center room 207.

This semester, the WLDH Studio will be hosting a series of events focusing on game-based approaches to teaching and research, with "Lightning Talks" being the inaugural event. 

There will be a panel of invited speakers from the Department of World Languages, Literatures & Cultures and beyond, including the programs in journalism, communication, and computer science. The event will consist of a series of 5-minute lightning talks about the ways in which the speakers have used a game-based approach in their teaching and/or research, followed by a discussion and Q&A with the audience on the exciting game-based work being done at the U of A.

"Lightning Talks" speakers include:

• Joomi Lee, assistant professor of mediated communication, Department of Communication

• Dave Fredrick, associate professor of classical studies, game design, Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures

• Alejandro Martin Gomez, assistant professor of engineering, I3R, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

• Jenna Allemand, teaching assistant of French, WLDH Studio researcher, Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures

• Curtis Maughan, teaching assistant professor of digital humanities, director of the WLDH Studio, Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures

• Brandon Bouchillon, associate professor of journalism, School of Journalism and Strategic Media

Refreshments will be served, and this event is open to U of A faculty, students, staff and the U of A community.