General contact of the board: info@isaga.net. All individual board members can be reached through firstname@isaga.net
Who are we? Meet the members of the EB!
Chair: Heide Lukosch
University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Occupation and interest in gaming: Associate Professor at the Human Interface Technology (HIT) Lab at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. Interested in the design and application of games to solve complex problems and make people, organisations and societies more resilient.
As an ISAGA board member my intention is: To maintain and develop the strengths of the ISAGA community and its constructive exchange of knowledge and experiences between game practitioners, researchers, and users. Aiming at making ISAGA as inclusive as possible.
What else I like you to know about me: In my research, I co-design and evaluate physical, hybrid and digital games, and love to introduce the instrument as a powerful way to constructive and meaningful play.
Favorite Games: Yard Crane Scheduler (InThere), TeamUp! (The Barn), MachiaCelli (TU Delft – Freese, Tiemersma & Lukosch)
Manabu Ichikawa
Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan
Occupation and interest in gaming: Professor at Shibaura Institute of Technology. Over 20 years of experience in simulation and gaming for education, disaster management, and regional co-creation. My main interests lie in serious games and simulation modeling for social systems, digital twins for disaster response, and project-based learning for education.
As an ISAGA board member, my intention is…: To strengthen the global collaboration between researchers and practitioners of simulation and gaming, connecting the ISAGA community with Asian academic and professional networks. I also aim to promote educational applications of gaming and simulation for complex real-world problem solving, and to support the organization of ISAGA conferences and regional initiatives.
What else I would like you to know about me? I believe that games and simulations are powerful tools for social innovation and collective learning — they help us understand, communicate, and transform complex systems in our society.
Favourite games: Pandemic, The Beer Game, Minecraft
Marcin Wardaszko
Kozminski University, Poland
Occupation and interest with gaming: Assistant Professor at Kozminski University with 17 years of serious gaming experience. Also working with serious and video game industry. My interests evolve around game-based research methodology, complexity representation in gaming, mobile and AR/VR serious gaming applications and DGBL in general.
As an ISAGA board member my intention is: Support the S&G community and promote ISAGA. Take care of organizational duties at ISAGA Summer School and maintain contact to the local SAG’as.
What else I would like you to know about me: I believe in games as a tool for describing and negotiating the complex reality
Favorite games: SysTeamsChange, Super Mario Karts, Kentucky Route Zero
Ivo Wenzler,
The Netherlands
Occupation and interest with gaming:
I am currently an emeritus professor of Serious Gaming at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences. My experience in gaming and simulation spans more than 40 years in both academia and business consulting. Throughout my career, I have designed and implemented more than 100 simulation and gaming interventions to support organisations worldwide in navigating complex transformation challenges.
As an ISAGA board member my intention is:
As a member of the Executive Board, I plan to help guide ISAGA’s strategic direction and enhance its organizational resilience. I will work to deepen interdisciplinary dialogue and actively support emerging professionals in the fields of simulation and gaming.
What else I would like you to know about me:
I hold a fundamental belief that simulations and games, as simulated realities, are irreplaceable in helping us understand and navigate the complexities and challenges in what we perceive as our actual reality.
Treasurer: Nettie Wester
Game case, The Netherlands
Occupation and interest with gaming: Game developer and team coach at Game Case. I use games and serious play to help teams to change and grow.
As an ISAGA board member my intention is: to support the ISAGA community and to help spread the word about the benefits of game and play in the world. I am currently the treasurer of ISAGA and deal with membership administration.
What else I would like you to know about me: I am a fan of experience learning. Not only through games but also interventions like storytelling or systemic work.
Favorite games: Too many to mention
Marieke de Wijse,
Radboud University, The Netherlands
Occupation and interest with gaming: PhD Researcher for Radboud University, effects of facilitators interventions in game simulations (Prof Etienne Rouwette and Prof Sander Meijerink). Former game designer and change consultant.
As an ISAGA board member my intention is: Add to the further development of the ISAGA community. To contribute to communication (website, newsletters etc), contribute to online conferences and summer schools.
What else I would like you to know about me: I believe in the power of game simulations, I learned so much myself this way, sometimes (over) challenging, always inspiring.
Favorite games: Group grope Thiagi, Hex Richard Duke
Birgit Zuern
DHBW Stuttgart / Centre for Management Simulation
Occupation and interest in gaming: Head of a Centre for Management Simulation using about 35 different games, passion for interactive learning, facilitation and debriefing of simulation games
As an ISAGA board member my intention is: To support the organization of conferences and summer schools or other events, networking, moving ISAGA forward to embrace future trends
What else I would like you to know about me: Playing simulation games is my job and passion but I am also playing the oboe in some orchestras
Favourite games: Cooperative games, exit games and a lot of simulation games