Max J. Chen
Interactive Media and Game Development
Worcester Polytechnic Institutes
mjchen@wpi.edu

100 Institute Rd
Worcester, MA, USA 01609
I am a PhD candidate in Computational Media co-advised by Gillian Smith and Erin Solovey. As a member of the WPI AI Futures Lab and the WPI HCI Lab, my research lies at the intersection of computational creativity, game design, human-computer interaction and human-AI interaction, driven by the following core question:
How creativity manifests in interactive media and game development, as the production pipeline is continuously reshaped by social, cultural, and technological change?
Building on this overarching question, I have worked on analyzing the patterns and trends in game development practice based on postmortems, studying the balancing of creating artifacts and building skills. I have also explored how generative AI is being used and perceived by game developers over time. My most recent work explores how lived experiences and physical, tangible media can expand creative possibilities in interactive media and games.
As an HCI researcher and developer, I enjoy being a reflective practitioner and developing knowledge while experimenting with novel interfaces. I have developed brain-computer interface (BCI)-based personal adaptive generative visuals, created on VR and AR systems for chemistry education and electronic wheelchair training, tested transparent material and computer vision for marker-based AR systems, and experimented with edible scent-releasing interfaces for immersive experience.
Prior to my life as a game designer and HCI researcher, I majored in Pharmaceutical Engineering and obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Technology (WHUT), Wuhan, China, in 2020. I worked with Prof. Yihua Yin on particle drug delivery systems, and interned as a clinical research associate at Novartis. Through these experiences, I saw the potential benefits of informative systems and immersive technologies in the medical industry, particularly in the areas of rehabilitation training and education.
news
Sep 12, 2025 | Submitted four papers to CHI 2026. ![]() |
---|---|
Sep 11, 2025 | Invited Talk at Union College |
Jul 04, 2025 | Our paper entitled “Bridging Cultural Representation and Game Making: Analyzing the Experiences, Outcomes, and Lessons of Early-Stage Game Developers in a Professional Development Program” is accepted into the journal PACM HCI, and invited to be presented at CHI PLAY 2025 Full Papers. |
latest posts
Sep 14, 2025 | Teaching Philosophy |
---|