{"id":82,"date":"2023-02-03T10:05:01","date_gmt":"2023-02-03T16:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/?page_id=82"},"modified":"2026-05-21T12:49:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T18:49:56","slug":"people","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/","title":{"rendered":"People"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Principal Investigator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/richard-zhao\">Richard Zhao, Ph.D.<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science.<br \/><\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><p><\/p><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Current Graduate Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/matthew-mcconnell\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"474\">Matthew McConnell<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Ph.D. student in Computer Science. 2025-present. Thesis-based M.Sc. student in Computer Science. 2024-2025.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/parsa-rahmati\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"476\">Parsa Rahmati<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. student in Computational Media Design. 2024-present.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/tarif-ashraf\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"720\">Tarif Ashraf<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. student in Computer Science. 2024-present.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/setareh-abhari\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"837\">Setareh Abhari<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. student in Computer Science. 2025-present.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/olga-koldachenko\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"895\">Olga Koldachenko<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. student in Computer Science. 2025-present.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/caleb-cavilla\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1150\">Caleb Cavilla<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. student in Computer Science. 2026-present.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/jiayi-zhang\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1155\">Jiayi Zhang<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. student in Computational Media Design. 2026-present.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Current Undergraduate Research Assistants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oleksandra Chernenko (B.Sc. exchange student. Computer Science, National University Odesa Law Academy). 2026. <em>Mitacs Globalink award<\/em>. 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ryan Nguyen (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2025-2026. <em>PURE award<\/em>, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/sam-gaudet\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1059\">Sam Gaudet<\/a> (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2025-2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/joseph-tandyo\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"863\">Joseph Tandyo<\/a> (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2024-2026.&nbsp;<em>Alberta Innovates scholarship<\/em>. 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/talaal-irtija\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"348\">Talaal Irtija<\/a> (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2023-2026. <em>Alberta Innovates scholarship<\/em>, 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/avery-keuben\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"346\">Avery Keuben<\/a> (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2023-2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Honours Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visitors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nabil Alsabah. Ph.D. student. University of W\u00fcrzburg. 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meiko Klauck. B.Sc. student. University of W\u00fcrzburg. 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"554\" data-src=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/136\/2024\/01\/grouppicture.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-467 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/136\/2024\/01\/grouppicture.png 1000w, https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/136\/2024\/01\/grouppicture-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/136\/2024\/01\/grouppicture-768x425.png 768w, https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/136\/2024\/01\/grouppicture-542x300.png 542w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1000px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1000\/554;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Past Graduate Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/mahdi-farrokhi-maleki\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"350\">Mahdi Farrokhimaleki<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. in Computer Science. 2023-2026.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/mohamad-elzohbi\/\">Mohamad Elzohbi<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Ph.D. in Computer Science. 2020-2025.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/farhan-aslam\/\">Farhan Aslam<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. in Computer Science. 2021-2025.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/naznin-shishir\/\">Naznin Shishir<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. in Computer Science. 2022-2024.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/kimiya-saadat\/\">Kimiya Saadat<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. in Computer Science. 2021-2024.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;color:#32373c\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-profile-box square ab-font-size-18 ab-block-profile ab-profile-columns\"><div class=\"ab-profile-column ab-profile-content-wrap\"><h2 class=\"ab-profile-name\" style=\"color:#32373c\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/michael-shomoye\">Michael Shomoye<\/a><\/h2><p class=\"ab-profile-title\" style=\"color:#32373c\">Thesis-based M.Sc. in Computer Science. 2021-2023.<\/p><div class=\"ab-profile-text\"><\/div><ul class=\"ab-social-links\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Past Undergraduate Research Assistants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/amy-wiebe\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1057\">Amy Wiebe<\/a> (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2025-2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rebekah Leslie (B.Sc. exchange student. Computer Science, University of Aberdeen). 2025. <em>Mitacs Globalink award<\/em>. 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nour Ben Sghaier (B.Sc. exchange student. Computer Science, ENSTAB). 2024.&nbsp;<em>Mitacs Globalink award<\/em>. 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ammar Zaghloul (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2024. <em>NSERC USRA<\/em>. 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rishabh Agarwal (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shanza Raza (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/david-garcia\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"324\">David Garcia<\/a> (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). <em>PURE award<\/em>, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/jason-cabuenos\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"321\">Jason Cabue\u00f1os<\/a> (B.F.A. student. Drama). <em>Alberta Innovates scholarship<\/em>, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/hannah-sloan\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"317\">Hannah Ava Sloan<\/a> (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Past Honours Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rishabh Agarwal. B.Sc. student. Computer Science.&nbsp;<em>CPSC 502<\/em>. 2025-2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Arian Safari. B.Sc. student. Computer Science.&nbsp;<em>CPSC 502<\/em>. 2025-2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sam Gaudet. B.Sc. student. Computer Science.\u00a0<em>CPSC 502<\/em>. 2025-2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alan Alcocer-Iturriza. B.Sc. student. Computer Science. <em>CPSC 502<\/em>. 2024-2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chirag Asrani. B.Sc. student. Computer Science. <em>CPSC 502<\/em>. 2024-2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jon Choi. B.Sc. student. Computer Science. <em>CPSC 502<\/em>. 2024-2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Iftekhar Mahbub Prutik. B.Sc. student. Computer Science.&nbsp;<em>CPSC 502<\/em>. 2023-2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/tyler-hartleb\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"328\">Tyler Hartleb<\/a>. B.Sc. student. Computer Science. <em>CPSC 502<\/em>.&nbsp;2022-2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kaynen Mitchell. B.Sc. student. Computer Science. <em>CPSC 502<\/em>.&nbsp;2022-2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Past Capstone Project Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joey Van Lierop. B.Sc. student. Computer Science. <em>CPSC 503<\/em>. Fall 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michaela Reyes. Master of Data Science and Analytics student. Summer 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Karunakar Cherukupally. Master of Data Science and Analytics student. Summer 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jason Nguyen. B.Sc. student. Computer Science. <em>CPSC 503<\/em>. 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Past Visitor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/people\/yiwei-zhang\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"344\">Yiwei Zhang<\/a>. B.Sc. student. Beijing Normal University. 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prospective Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">See <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/richardzhao.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/richardzhao.com<\/a> for admission requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Principal Investigator Current Graduate Students Current Undergraduate Research Assistants Oleksandra Chernenko (B.Sc. exchange student. Computer Science, National University Odesa Law Academy). 2026. Mitacs Globalink award. 2026. Ryan Nguyen (B.Sc. student. Computer Science). 2025-2026. PURE award, &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":589,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-82","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/589"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82"}],"version-history":[{"count":85,"href":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1282,"href":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82\/revisions\/1282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/serious-games\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}