Regan Mandryk
{{short description|Canadian computer scientist}}
{{Infobox academic
| name =Regan Mandryk
| image = Regan Mandryk in 2006.jpg
| caption = Mandryk in 2006
| birth_date ={{birth date and age|1975|12|09}}
| birth_place = Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| occupation =
| education =BSc, Mathematics and Physics, 1997, University of Winnipeg
MSc, Kinesiology, 2000, PhD, Computing Science, 2005, Simon Fraser University
| thesis_title =Modeling user emotion in interactive play environments: A fuzzy physiological approach
| thesis_url=http://summit.sfu.ca/item/10255?mode=full
| thesis_year =2005
| known_for =
| spouse =
| children =
| awards =
| website =
| workplaces = University of Saskatchewan
}}
Regan Lee Mandryk is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Saskatchewan. She specializes in Human-computer interaction.
Early life and education
Mandryk was born on December 9, 1975, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.{{cite web |title=CV |url=https://www.dropbox.com/s/ird984hu9yrnv0n/mandryk_standardized_cv_old.pdf?dl=0 |accessdate=November 9, 2020}} Mandryk earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Winnipeg in 1997.{{cite web |title=Dr. Regan Mandryk |url=https://www.cs.usask.ca/people/faculty%20profiles/regan-mandryk.php#CurriculumVitae |website=cs.usask.ca |accessdate=November 9, 2020}} She completed her Master's degree and PhD at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.{{cite web|last1=Thorbes|first1=Carol|date=June 15, 2000|title=Mandryk a woman for all seasons|url=https://www.sfu.ca/archive-sfunews/sfnews/2000/June15/mandryk.html|accessdate=November 9, 2020|website=sfu.ca}} Mandryk's PhD dissertation applied physiological measures to model user emotion in interactive play environments.{{cite news |last1=Griffin |first1=Kevin |title=Scientist on frontier of measuring excitement factor in different games |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/62919168/regan-mandryk/ |accessdate=November 9, 2020 |publisher=Edmonton Journal |date=July 14, 2006}} She was awarded the 2005 Dean of Graduate Studies Convocation Medal in Applied Sciences and was nominated for the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies Distinguished Dissertation Award.{{cite web |last1=Shell |first1=Barry |title=Mandryk overcomes adversity |url=http://www.sfu.ca/archive-sfunews/print/sfu_news/archives/sfunews06050609.htm |website=sfu.ca |accessdate=November 9, 2020 |date=June 5, 2006}} She then completed post-doctoral fellowships at the University of British Columbia and Dalhousie University.
Career
Upon completing her fellowships, Mandryk joined the University of Saskatchewan's Human-Computer Interaction Lab under the guidance of Carl Gutwin to research video games.{{cite news |last1=Trembath |first1=Sean |title=Changing the ways we interact with our machines |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/changing-the-ways-we-interact-with-our-machines |accessdate=November 9, 2020 |publisher=The StarPhoenix |date=January 16, 2016}} She had originally never looked at the university for she had no family connections to Saskatoon but was convinced by Gutwin's work.{{cite news |last1=Olsen |first1=Matt |title=Game on: U of S professor uses video games to explore the human condition |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/life/bridges/game-on-u-of-s-professor-uses-video-games-to-explore-the-human-condition |accessdate=November 9, 2020 |publisher=The StarPhoenix |date=June 29, 2018}} As an assistant professor, she co-received a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council grant to study how to increase university-aged students physical activity. Alongside Kevin Stanley, they developed a game called Gemini which would incorporate a player's real-world activities such as walking, running or riding a bicycle into a role-playing computer game.{{cite news |last1=Hickey |first1=Anne-Marie |title=Getting gamers into gameshape focus for U of S researchers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/62919119/regan-mandryk/ |accessdate=November 9, 2020 |publisher=The StarPhoenix |date=November 16, 2009 |location=Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada}}
In January 2015, Mandryk was selected as an inaugural member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.{{cite web |title=Erika Dyck, Regan Mandryk selected for new Royal Society of Canada college |url=https://artsandscience.usask.ca/news/n/4481/Erika_Dyck_Regan_Mandryk_selected_for_new_Royal_Society_of_C |website=artsandscience.usask.ca |accessdate=November 9, 2020 |date=January 9, 2015}} She later received the University of Saskatchewan's New Researcher Award.{{cite web |title=Computer science prof, WGST coordinator receive U of S awards |url=https://artsandscience.usask.ca/news/articles/137/Computer_science_prof_WGST_coordinator_receive_U_of_S_awards |website=artsandscience.usask.ca |accessdate=November 9, 2020 |date=October 29, 2015}} The following year, Mandryk and researchers at the Interaction Lab began developing concentration exercises to assist children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Their game involved the player's avatar runs endlessly forward, collecting coins and avoiding obstacles, while the player wore a headset to monitor their brain activity. Through the use of positive reinforcement, Mandryk's research team were attempting to train those with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder to focus. She also received a $1.65 million grant to create a graduate program in game-user research for the Saskatchewan Waterloo Games User Research Initiative.{{cite web |last1=Biber |first1=Francois |title=U of S aims to fill void in Canadian video game industry |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/uofs-grad-videogame-program-1.3542132 |website=cbc.ca |accessdate=November 9, 2020 |date=April 18, 2016}}
Mandryk later began researching whether video games could be used to assess mental health. This project earned her a E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship, $250,000 over two years, by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to fund her research.{{cite web |title=U of S computer scientist awarded Steacie Fellowship|url=https://artsandscience.usask.ca/news/articles/2140/U_of_S_computer_scientist_awarded_Steacie_Fellowship |website=artsandscience.usask.ca |accessdate=November 9, 2020 |date=May 1, 2018}} During the COVID-19 pandemic in North America, Mandryk promoted the use of video games while isolating as a way to deal with stress, anxiety and other mental health challenges. She said that due to social isolation, children were missing out on interactions with their friends and video games were a way to socialize.{{cite news |last1=Read |first1=Darla |title=COVID-19: Video games good for mental health during pandemic, says U of S prof |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/covid-19-video-games-good-for-mental-health-during-pandemic-says-u-of-s-prof |accessdate=November 9, 2020 |publisher=The StarPhoenix |date=May 5, 2020}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Google Scholar id | 3-YPyEMAAAAJ }}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:University of Winnipeg alumni
Category:Academic staff of the University of Saskatchewan