Magy Seif El-Nasr
Assistant Professor
School of Information Science and Technology
The Pennsylvania State University
2T Thomas Building
University Park, PA 16802-2117

My research focuses on building interactive narrative systems that automate and extend existing techniques used in film and theatre. My goal is to build computational models to facilitate and accelerate the process of visual design in interactive narratives, including games, interactive drama, and interactive stories. This field spans many areas in both computer science and the performance arts, including computer graphics, Artificial Intelligence, agents research, systems, drama, acting, lighting, photography, camera movements and framing, and directing.

The problem of creating visual designs for interactive experiences is a serious and complex problem. A number of design details, including character positions and the dramatic significance of an event, are often not known at design time. My research addresses this problem by devising computational models based on visual design theories to automate the process while allowing artists to guide the model's decisions whenever necessary.

I am interested in continuing my work on interactive narrative and extending my research to explore a number of topics, including character motion and behaviors, frame composition, character blocking, and camera movement. In addition, I would like to explore the influence and utility of such expressive techniques on the interaction within an interactive experience. I am also interested in pursuing other aspects of interactive narrative, such as user-modeling and interactive narrative design.

Bachelor of Science,

American University of Cairo (AUC), Egypt

Master's of Science, May 1998
Computer Science Department, Texas A&M University.
Modeling Emotion Dynamics in Intelligent Agents
John Yen, advisor

PhD, June 2003
Computer Science Department, Northwestern University
ELE- Expressive Lighting Engine for Automating Lighting Design in Interactive Narrative
Ian Horswill, advisor

CS-343: Operating Systems, Fall 2002 (Co-Teaching with Fabian Bustamante)

CAT-380: Interactive Narrative, Spring 2002 (Co-Teaching with Mary Poole)

CS-411: Operating Systems, Summer 1998

CS-320: Artificial Intelligence, Summer 1999

Assistant Professor, IST, Pennsylvania State University, 2003

Producer/Director/Programmer, Northwestern University, 2001-2002

Produced Mirage an interactive drama funded by CIRA (Center for Interdiscplinary Arts Research)
Led a team of artists composed of screenwriter, 4 actors, sound designer, two animators/modelers, and a music composer
Programmed and put the scene togather
Directed the scenes and worked on lighting and camera designs

Teaching Assistant, Computer Science Department, Northwestern University, 2000-2002
Assisted in teaching Game Design with Ken Forbus, Operating Systems with Jennifer Schopf

Research Assistant, Computer Science Department, Northwestern University, 1999-present

Assistant Lecturer, Computer Science Department, Texas A&M University, Summer 1998

Software Engineer - Analyst and Designer, Computer Sceince Department, Texas A&M University, summer 1999
Created a new accounting system for the computer sceince deparment

Teaching Assistant, Computer Science Department, Texas A&M University, 1997-1998

Graphics Designer/Sound Editor, Cairo, Egypt, 1995-1996

List of publications are avaliable here

Research Grant: CIRA (Center for Interdisplinary Arts Research) awarded me a grant for producing Mirage, 2002

ACM Best Student Paper Award received in the Autonomous Agents Conference, 1999

Award of Excellence, Graduate Student Council, Texas A&M University, 1998

Research Excellence Award, Computer Science Department, Texas A&M University, 1998

Leadership Award, from the Computer Science Department at Texas A&M University 1999

Co-Chair of AAAI Symposium 2002 on AI and Interactive Entertainment

On Editorial Board of International Journal of Intelligent Games and Simulation

Program Committee, 2nd International Conference on Virtual Storytelling, 2003

Reviewing Committee, The World Multiconference on Systemics, Cybernetics, and Informatics (SCI) 2002 and 2001

Member of IGDA, International Game Developers Association

Member of AAAI, American Association for Artificial Intelligence

President of Computer Science Graduate Student Association, Texas A&M University, 1997-1998

Communication Officer, Aggie Women in Computer Science (AWICS), Texas A&M University, 1996-1998

Communication Officer, Graduate Student Council (GSC), Texas A&M University, 1997-1999