Expert to discuss gaming’s military applications on Wednesday
Michael Macedonia, a computer scientist and expert on virtual environments, computer games and military simulation, will visit Mississippi State University on Wednesday [Jan. 22] where he will discuss simulation and graphics as an Association of Computing Machinery Distinguished Lecturer.
His presentation, free and open to all, takes place at 5:30 p.m. in Colvard Student Union’s Fowlkes Auditorium.
According to Macedonia, the U.S. military culture has accepted computer gaming as a powerful tool for remaking the armed forces in preparation for the new realities of the 21st century. The military recognizes that the young people who will serve as tomorrow's soldiers, sailors and pilots have spent years immersed in technology. Army studies show that this cohort is very different in terms of skills and attitudes than its predecessors.
Prior to joining SAIC as a Technical Fellow, Macedonia was the General Manager for Forterra Systems, a leading developer of virtual worlds software. Dr. Macedonia also was the Director of the Disruptive Technology Office (now IARPA) for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. DTO was the U.S. intelligence community’s centrally funded research activity for advanced technology.
Prior to DTO, he was responsible for developing the technology strategy for the U.S. Army’s lead training and simulation system development organization. He also led the Army’s effort to develop the Institute for Creative Technologies at the University of Southern California, and promoted the adoption of advanced commercial game technology for simulation and education.
He is credited with the development of the U.S. Army's first commercial Xbox game, Full Spectrum Warrior. He was an early adopter of GPGPU technology for high performance computing and was a member of a research program that is now recognized as a DARPA Legacy.
Macedonia has a Ph.D. in computer science from the Naval Postgraduate School, where he was a member of the pioneering NPSNET virtual reality research group. He conducted some of the earliest research in the use of the Internet protocols for games and virtual worlds. He is a graduate from the United States Military Academy, West Point and served in infantry and intelligence units in the U.S. and overseas.
For additional information, please contact David A. Dampier in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at dampier@cse.msstate.edu.
