Education
Ph.D., Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, University of Texas at Austin, 2016
Dissertation: Toward higher-intensity positron beams: investigations in moderation efficiency and beam design
B.S. Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, 2005
B.A. Classical Studies, University of Texas at Arlington, 2005
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor of Video Game Development, St. Edward's University, 2020 - Present
Visiting Assistant Professor of Video Game Development, St. Edward's University, 2018 - 2020
Adjunct Professor of Physics, St. Edward's University, 2018
Adjunct Professor of Physics, Art Institute of Austin, 2017-2018
Adjunct Professor of Physics, Austin Community College, 2017-2018
Research Scientist, HZDR, Dresden Germany, 2012
Associate Instructor, The University of Texas at Austin, 2008-2011, 2014-2016
Additional Professional Experience
Cofounder, Artist, Game Designer - 4th Wall Games LLC, 2016-present
Scriptwriter and Storyboard Artist, Journal of Visualized Experiments, 2017-2018
Designer, Contract Artist, Demonstrator, ACCHaoS (Austin Community College Hands-on Science), Austin Community College, 2017-2018
Staff Comics Artist, The Daily Texan, The University of Texas at Austin 2006-2011
Technical Writer, Vectrix.com, Dallas, Texas 1998-2001
Creative Works
Untitled Pixel Art Dungeon Crawler
A modern retro pixel art dungeon crawler. The concept and prototype won a Presidential Excellence Grant in 2024. The final game is currently in development with an estimated completion date of 2026.
What Lies Beyond the Standing Stone
A fantasy/science fiction gamebook created and submitted for The Lindenbaum Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction 2023/2024 competition. In this work, I sought to explore a deeper connection between traditional narrative and game mechanics. This work won a Merit Award.
Awakening Aboard the Anastasia
A science fiction horror gamebook submitted for The Lindenbaum Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction 2022/2023 competition. The exploratory foci of this book involve using novel presentations of interactive structures to influence the player’s experience, particularly with regards to the perception of the passage of time, and what 'winning' means in a horror story with no happy outcomes. This work won a Commendation Award.
An interactive fiction and puzzle gamebook submitted for The Lindenbaum Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction 2021/2022 competition. The exploratory foci of this book involve reducing player/character separation to a minimum, and violation of gamebook conventions of fair play.
Harrowing Adventures
A multiplayer interactive fiction video game created in Unity. This
Service to the Professional Community
Staple! Austin's Independent Media Expo - Organizer, Faculty Sponsor, Spring 2024, 2025
Portfolio Posse Spring 2022, 2023, 2024, Fall 2022, 2023, 2024 - Organizer
Participation with HealthStart Foundation in the development of Monstralia through Senior Game Studio, Fall 2018-Spring 2022
Global Game Jam judge, University of Texas, Spring 2020
Presentations and Demos
"Asteroids Meets Snake: Facing New Design Challenges When Mashing Up Old Video Games", SWPACA 2024, Albuquerque, NM, February 23 2024
Harrowing Adventures Demo, NarraScope 2019, Cambridge, MA, June 15 & 16, 2019
"Harrowing Adventures, Find Clues, Punch Nazis, Save the World", Interactive Storytelling, St. Edward’s University, March 1, 2018
Harrowing Adventures Demo, Game On!, The Bob Bullock Museum, Austin, TX, November 30 2017
Harrowing Adventures Demo, SXSW Gaming, Austin, TX, March 16, 2019
Harrowing Adventures Demo, DreamHack Austin, Austin, TX, June 2, 2018
Harrowing Adventures Demo, SXSW Gaming, Austin, TX, March 16, 2018
"Improving Slow Positron Yields", Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics Seminar, The University of Texas, 2015
"The Annihilation of Positrons in Matter", Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics Seminar, Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden Germany, 2012
"Fundamentally Re-designing Labs for Physics 117M," Physics Teaching Forum, The University of Texas, 2010
Physics Publications
Positron Beams as Effective Nondestructive Tools for the Semiconductor Industry, Fink, Johnson, Nguyen, Electronic Device Failure Analysis Vol. 19, No. 3 (2017)
Flash Lamp Annealing of Tungsten Surfaces Marks a New Way to Optimized Slow Positron Yields, Anwand, Johnson, Butterling, Wagner, Skorupa, and Brauer, Jour. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 443 (2013)
First Experiments with MePS, Jungmann, Haberle, Krause-Rehberg, Anwand, Butterling, Wagner, Johnson and T.E. Cowan, Jour. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 443 (2013)
Current Courses
VGAM 2318 World Building - 2024 Introduction to world building, story structure, and critical analysis across media including film, television, novels, short stories, comics and graphic novels, and video games. Students analyze published works and create their own works set in unique worlds.
VISU 4340 Senior Studio 1 - 2024 Team-taught course where senior animation, graphic design, art, and photography students are guided through inquiry and reflection to create a capstone project in their senior year.
VGAM 3332 Methods of Digital Production - 2024 Third course in the Coding for Non-Coders certificate. Students learn digital production processes and tools as well as how to manage solo and team projects.
VGAM 3327 Advanced Digital Animation - 2019-2024 Basic modeling and animation in 3D using Blender. Emphasis is placed on developing technical skills and applying those to create a body of creative work.
VGAM 3320 Game Design Studio 1 - 2018-Present Introduction to video game design and development primarily using GameMaker Studio. Students combine visual art and animation, audio, and programming, to create their own games. The development process emphases feedback, iteration, and thoughtful evaluation of the works created. Students work as solo developers. Satisfies St. Edward's Mission Marker: Creativity and Making
VGAM 3330 Game Design Studio 2 - 2019-Present Video game development in teams using the Unity game Engine. Students move from being solo generalists to performing specialized roles on a team. Industry best practices and development pipelines are introduced.
VGAM 4345 & 4347 Senior Game Studio 1 & 2 - 2019-Present Video game development with emphasis on using industry-standard processes and tools and preparation for future employment in the games industry. Students take a game project from concept to "Gold Master" state with a team. When possible, the students works with a non-profit organization in need of game development. The HealthStart Foundation was one such client. Satisfies St. Edward's Mission Marker: Experiential Learning for Social Justice
VGAM 1310 Beginning Coding for Non-Coders 2020-2023 Introduction to computer literacy and programming largely through developing games. The bulk of the course is devoted to programming using Python. Additional topics include: spreadsheets and computer literacy.
VGAM 3328 Interactive Storytelling 2019-Present Writing and storytelling in games and other interactive media. Students play narratively-rich games, analyze them, and then create their own interactive stories. Particular emphasis is placed on writing. Satisfies St. Edward's Mission Marker: Upper Division Writing Rich
Curriculum Development
Course Revision: VGAM 4345 & 4347 Senior Game Studio, Summer 2023 Summer 2023 Innovation Institute: Continuing to explore the new form of these courses and to build in a solid Experiential Learning for Social Justice component.
Course Revision: VGAM 4345 & 4347 Senior Game Studio, Summer 2022, Restructured to account for the end of collaboration with HealthStart and to introduce the vertical slice as part of the development pipeline.
Course Revision: VGAM 1310 Beginning Coding for Non-Coders, Spring 2020, Introduced spreadsheets and computer literacy components, and changed the course to be taught twice-per-week. Also organized the course slides to make it easy to give to another professor should that be necessary.
Course Creation: VGAM 3327 Advanced Game Animation, Fall 2019, Created the course as a standalone class in 3D modeling and animation with brief introductions to related topics.
Course Revision: VGAM 3330 Game Design Studio 2, Spring 2019, Revised the course to tackle a series of smaller games completed in teams.
Course Creation: VGAM 3320 Introduction to Game Animation, Spring 2019, Created the course as an introductory class in 2D animation with emphasis on foundational concepts.
Course Revision: VGAM 3320 Game Design Studio 1, Fall 2018, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Restructured the course to use GameMaker Studio, with an introductory game using Bitsy.
Course Revision: VGAM 3399 Computer Graphics and Animation, Fall 2018, Explored and revised in anticipation of splitting this into two courses.
Course Revision: PHYS 1310 Physics for Future Presidents, Fall 2018, with Dr. Paul Walter, Development of a hands-on, experimental component to accompany the reading and discussion.