Biography

Ken is a doctoral candidate, with a focus in media psychology and a minor in cognitive science. He is interested in the ways that people make moral judgments and how media shapes our attitudes towards morally salient issues around politics, religion, and society. Using video games as a methodological tool, his goal is to understand how values are illustrated in game design, as well as the ways in which play can foster perspective-taking, identity work, and reflection on moral agency. He has presented papers at NCA and the Games, Learning, and Society Conference at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and assisted colleagues with surveys, experiments, and content analyses. With a decade of teaching experience (in everything from introductory theory to video production), he has been an instructor of record at USF, Ivy Tech Bloomington, and Indiana University—including for a self-designed course at the Collins Living-Learning Center about the messages and meanings behind Star Trek: The Original Series. When not engaged in academic pursuits, Ken enjoys listening to podcasts that connect human psychology to social policy decisions, chasing the dream of a living Pokedex, and spoiling his two cats. Before the pandemic, he used to enjoy hosting Rock Band parties and attending academic talks on campus.

M.A., Mass Communication
University of South Florida, 2011
Thesis: “Gaming Literacy: Construct Validation and Scale Construction”
Specialization: Multimedia Journalism

B.A., Communication
University of South Florida, 2009
Thesis: “Bridging the Gap: Rock Band and Cultural Performativity”
Specialization: Interpersonal and Organizational Communication