An (audio) compendium of the comings and goings in research, development, and news about our digital playgrounds from May 2025.

Newsletter link: https://open.substack.com/pub/rachelkowert/p/tldr-may-2025?r=1nfkr7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

An (audio) compendium of the comings and goings in research, development, and news about our digital playgrounds from April 2025.

Newsletter link: https://open.substack.com/pub/rachelkowert/p/tldr-march-2025-4ed?r=1nfkr7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

An (audio) compendium of the comings and goings in research, development, and news about our digital playgrounds from March 2025.

Newsletter link: https://rachelkowert.substack.com/p/tldr-march-2025

In this episode, I am joined by Constance Steinkuehler, a professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of California Irvine. In this conversation, we explore her journey from a graduate student in cognitive science, to Senior Policy Analyst under the Obama administration in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, to running Game Labs at both University of Wisconsin-Madison and UC Irvine. This journey begins with an aversion to media and pop culture, makes an unexpected turn at Lineage II, and ends with Prof. Steinkuehler setting the foundation of what we now know as the field of 'game studies'.

In this episode, I am joined by Coty Craven, an an accessibility and inclusion expert and advocate who has been working in the games industry since 2013. He created and led award-winning games media outlet, Can I Play That (https://caniplaythat.com/), to help advance accessibility and awareness in the games industry and he recently launched his second game accessibility tool, this time focused on mental health, the Game Content Triggers Database (https://gamecontenttriggers.com/). This journey begins with a love for animals and braving the cold winters in Michigan as a stable hand and leads down a blazed trail for accessibility advocacy in the games industry.

In this episode, I am joined by Paul Fischer, a contractor and senior technology advisor for the US state department’s global engagement center. In this conversation, we explore Paul's journey from studying International Relations at George Washington University, to his time in Morocco with the Peace Corps, to his Masters in Foreign Service at Georgetown, to.... bringing games to the State Department through their Global Engagement Center? This journey begins with sibling rivalries in Smash Bros, to unexpected inspiration from Prince of Persia, and ends with the creation of one of my favorite games of all time, Cat Park.

As you may (or may not) know, Psychgeist, as a production studio was created to draw the curtain back behind the science of games and pop culture. Part of that, is demystifying the people who work in this space. And this is where this podcast comes in. Allow me to introduce *drum roll*...

Most Recent Save (A Psychgeist Podcast), a new podcast where I chat with influential voices in games and pop culture and discuss the pivotal moments, challenges, and triumphs that shaped their careers and lives. Get ready for a captivating ride through the pathways of life, where the focus is not just on the destination but the stories that shaped the journey in between the save points.
To get everyone excited for this newest project, I have created a short, teaser episode to give you a sense of what you have coming to the airwaves next year. Season 1 will debut in Spring 2024 and will run for six episodes, each featuring a different influential voice in games and pop culture.
Until then, enjoy this bite-sized episode where you will learn a few new things about me - your host! See you all in 2024!