Name: André Nusselder

Position at UvA: Lecturer

'My specialization is in the intertwining of the technical and the social. We not only shape technology, but technology also shapes us and our world. As a philosopher I studied this intricate connection of humans and technology, and published on the notion of the cyborg one of my main works, Interface Fantasy, at MIT Press.'

'My course ‘Innovation and Design Thinking’ is an elective course for the Game Studies mastertrack. It combines the knowledge and ‘languages’ of several disciplines in order to create meaningful ICT solutions to current challenges in organizations, businesses, and society. Besides technical knowledge this requires knowledge of social and organizational issues.'

'My philosophical studies provide me with the ability to speak and combine the languages of different scientific disciplines. Originally I was a science pupil, and my curiosity and wonderment was ignited by a strong interest in astronomy. From here I studied philosophy of mind, and also gained in-depth knowledge of history, the humanities, the social sciences, psychology, and art (theory). I have been doing programming (JAVA) too, and also worked in the management field. My goal is to integrate and synthesize this diversity of knowledge and fields and thus offer future information professionals the mindset and skills that are required to operate effectively in a rapidly changing and complex society.'

'The strong aspect of this mastertrack is that it studies digital game technologies from a human and social perspective. Gaming is intricately connected to human motivation, and it is by understanding this that the huge opportunities in using digital games become clear. Gaming is fun, but this mastertrack shows that – because of the fun-factor - digital games have a relevancy far beyond entertainment. In our current ‘play-culture’ games can also serve many other societal purposes. Understanding and developing this is very advantageous in applying digital games as a professional.'