Michelle Chen
Founder, Game Developer & Creative Practice Researcher
About
👋 Hi, I'm Michelle Chen and I'm a Dr. in Video Games 🩺🎮 I co-create video games about mental health 🧠💜
🎮 Professional Experience
- Game developer with 15 years of experience in programming, design, art, and production
- Founder of Mental Jam, a platform for sharing lived experiences of mental health struggles through video games co-creation as a form of creative self-expression and alternative to arts therapy
🎓 Academic Achievements
- PhD in Design at RMIT in Australia
- MSc in Video Game Enterprise and Production at Birmingham City University, UK
- University Certificate in Psychology, University of Derby, UK
- BS Computer Science at De La Salle University - Manila, Philippines
📖 Presented research and games at various prestigious events:
- Games for Change Festival - Asia Pacific
- Games Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP)
- Games Symposium for Oceania and Asia Pacific
- Freeplay
- ArtsIT
- Big Anxiety Festival
- PAX Australia
- ACMI + RMIT Audience Lab
🏆 Awards and Scholarships
- GameIndustry.biz 100 Future Talent
- Xbox Women in Gaming Game Changer
- IGDA NextGen Leader & Scholar
- Museums Victoria Culture Maker
- Finalist, International Student of the Year - Research, Victorian International Education Awards
- 7th Winner of Toptal STEM Scholarships for Women
- Nominated for Extra Mile Awards: Student of the Year
- Student Award winner at the European Women in Games Conference 2017
🌟 Community Involvement
- Women in Games Ambassador
- Making Space board member
- Volunteer at game industry events
- Teach kids coding and robotics
- Formerly in BAFTA Crew and STEM Ambassadors in the UK
💌 Ask
- I'd love to meet with mental health organisations and companies for collaborations, sponsorships, financial support and grants
