Digital Technology Media Visionary; Formerly, Director of Special Projects at MIT (Cambridge)

Dr. Michael Hawley is an educator, artist and researcher working in the field of digital media. Previously at MIT’s Media Laboratory where he was Director of Special Projects after holding the Alexander W. Dreyfoss chair from 1993 until 2002, Hawley is the founder or co-founder of several major research programs and projects including MIT's GO Expeditions program, Things That Think, Toys of Tomorrow, Counter Intelligence (a culinary research effort),...

Assoc. Professor and Director of Games Studio, University of Technology (Sydney)

Dr Yusuf Pisan received his PhD in Artificial Intelligence from Northwestern University, USA. He is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Information Technology at the University of Technology, Sydney and the co-director of the Creativity and Cognition Studios (CCS), an internationally recognized research group with eight researchers and over fifteen PhD students. His research interests include enabling technologies for computer games and the design of virtual environments that support...

Director of City as Platform/XRML Amsterdam; Harvard University Faculty Fellow at Berkman Center for Internet and Society (Boston, Amsterdam)

Dr. Beth Coleman's work focuses on the role of human agency in the context of media and data engagement, she looks at the intersection of the public, the civic, and the poetic.   She is the Director of City as Platform/XRML, Amsterdam, and is currently a Harvard University Faculty Fellow at Berkman Center for Internet and Society and a visiting Professor at the Institute of Network Cultures, Hogeschool...

Co-President of the International Simulation And Gaming Association (Singapore)

Dr. Fischer Cai has over 15 years experience in Simulation and Gaming and is Co-President of the International Simulation And Gaming Association (ISAGA).  In mid 1990s, he collaborated with John Hopkins Medical School developing Virtual Reality (VR) and Simulation technology for minimally invasive cardiovascular surgical training. Dr Cai is an editor for the new book “Interactive & Digital Media for Education in the Virtual Learning Environment” to be...

Director, AlloSphere Research Facility Professor of Media Arts and Technology and Professor of Music, University of California (Santa Barbara)

Dr. JoAnn Kuchera-Morin is a composer, Professor of Media Arts and Technology and Music, and a researcher in multi-modal media systems content and facilities design.    Her years of experience in digital media research led to the creation of a multi-million dollar sponsored research program for the University of California—the Digital Media Innovation Program. She was Chief Scientist of the Program from 1998 to 2003.  The culmination of...

Professor and Vice Dean, School of the Arts &Communication, Beijing Normal University (Beijing)

Dr. Leon Xiao is a Professor and Vice Dean of the School of the Art & Communication at Beijing Normal University in Beijing, China. He is the creator of the digital media curricula at BNU and founded the Institute of Digital Media, a pioneer platform equipped with state-of-the-art technology, which serves as the model for excellence in digital media curricula for all of China. Dr Xiao is also the Head...

Founder and President, Beijing Capital Recreation District and China Virtual Business Zone (Beijing)

The Beijing Capital Recreation District and China Virtual Business Zone is the biggest Government supported digital media industry development initiative in China. Dr. Liu Yan (David) is the Founder and President of both organizations, as well as CEO of the Beijing Cyber Recreation Development Corporation,  making him one of China’s digital elite. Dr. Liu is a pioneer of an innovative business model connecting virtual and real world...

Invited Scientist, Electrical Engineering Computer Science, MIT (Massachussets)

Invited Scientist, Electrical Engineering Computer Science, MIT (Massachussets) Marie-José Montpetit is an invited scientist in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT focusing on video convergence. She is also a collaborator at the MIT Communications Futures Program where her work on Social TV has received a lot of attention.   Her current work is on how TV is mobile, social and IP based and involves multiscreens and both...

Director, X-Media Solutions, Media & Games, Nokia (Helsinki)

At Nokia, Mark is helping drive the next X-Media solutions strategy where his unit creates strategic consumer facing IPR in X-Media.   He sits on the Global Management Team for Media & Games.  Previous to this Mark headed up  Nokia Games Publishing which released ten titles in 2008 and several in 2009 including the 2008 Meffys Winner, Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep.  He was also responsible for technology...

Creator & Co-Writer, The 99 (Kuwait)

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa is the creator and co-writer of the comic book series THE 99 , the world's first superhero team based on Islamic culture.