After four years of exploration and innovation, we are proud to announce the conclusion of Game2Work (G2W) grant at Iowa State University (ISU). Game2Work began in 2020 through a multi-year Presidential Interdisciplinary Research Initiative (PIRI) grant, intended to support new interdisciplinary research that has strong potential to attract external funding. G2W brought together faculty experts from education, engineering, computer science, psychology, and design to explore the transformative power of serious games in education and workforce development.
Founded by co-principal investigators Dr. Larysa Nadolny (School of Education / Human Computer Interaction) and Dr. Michael Dorneich (Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering), Gamw2Work forged partnerships that enriched the serious game development network and contributed to a growing body of research on how serious games can foster teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving in real-world settings. Dr. Michael Brown (Higher Education and Student Affairs) took on co-PI duties when Dr. Nadolny left for other opportunities.
In addition to research, the Game2Work team organized events to connect people in the field and to apply learning and tools in outreach settings. The first Game2Work Day was held in Ames in the fall of 2022, bringing together academics, industry professionals, and government representatives from across the state to learn from one another and share ideas. The following fall, Game2Work Day moved to Des Moines, IA to bring the event to where much of the industry innovation was happening.
A core characteristic of Game2Work has been its commitment to education and outreach. The team’s collaborative Game Jam pedagogy, developed with ISU Extension and Outreach, has sparked interest in computer science and game design careers among students in middle school through college. Between hosting games nights on the ISU campus and engaging more than 65 K-12 students and 200 undergraduates in game design activities, Game2Work has helped to inspire the next generation of digital innovators. Graduate students at Iowa State went on to found a student game design club on campus.
On the research side, the group has achieved outcomes that include the development of novel game-based research testbeds, developing games to teach optimization, using games to address cybersickness adaptation, applying game design in the classroom, utilizing games to cultivate science identity, investigating serious games in science learning, and utilizing games to support connected rural communities. Funders for this work included the National Science Foundation, Air Force Research Laboratory, Iowa Space Grant Consortium, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), and more. These efforts advance academic inquiry and help lay the groundwork for future innovations in gameful learning.
Although Game2Work is winding down, its impact will continue to be felt in the work of the faculty collaborators and the students who worked on their projects. In addition, an undergraduate Game Design Major is set to launch in fall 2025, with strong industry partnerships and a curriculum that spans interactive media, game computing, and narrative design. The G2W team is grateful to all the researchers, educators, students, industry partners, and community partners who have joined in this work.
Game2Work by the Numbers
- $9.5 million in grant funding secured
- 51 publications
- 26 invited talks
- 19 events
- 15 games created
- 21 students supported, including PhD, MS, and undergraduate researchers