Partners and Team

Our lab is led by Dr. Benjamin Stokes, an associate professor at American University. Previously, Benjamin co-founded Games for Change, the movement hub for games in the public interest. His recent book from MIT Press is: “Locally Played: Real-World Games for Stronger Places and Communities.” Benjamin is based in the AU School of Communication and is on the core faculty of the AU Game Lab.

Recent funding

  • The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), for a $250k grant to reach 25+ cities with Hive Mechanic
  • The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation with Niantic, Inc., in support of our research on cities appropriating Pokémon GO (see the report “Cities Remix a Playful Platform“)
  • The Packard Foundation and Games for Change, in support of our work on the Game Impact Project
  • Smithsonian Women’s Committee for their support of our DC storytelling system for the “Right to the City” exhibit at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum
  • The Henry Luce Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, in support of the Humanities Truck, which includes our interactive systems
  • DC Office of Planning, in support of research on playful activities to gather public input, including around equity

Affiliations at AU and Beyond

Our work takes place within the AU Game Center, often using the Humanities Truck, with research based at the Center for Media and Social Impact (CMSI) and the Metropolitan Policy Center (MCP), and in design collaboration with the Leimert Phone Company.

Staff, designers and associated researchers

Alumni