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SALT LAKE CITY — Likely, if you are reading this article on your tablet, smart-phone, or even on your laptop computer the University of Utah (U of U) played an important role. The U of U has a strong history in the computer sciences, from computing and networking, to digital media and video game design.
The U of U has been part of many great innovations in the field in recent decades. These innovations include helping pioneer the modern day Internet as well as U of U alumni who have founded industry giants such as Adobe and Pixar.
Designing the Foundation
We really do have the greatest minds in the world on our campus.
–- Corrinne Lewis, program manager, EAE
The U of U's Entertainment Arts and Engineering (EAE) program has become more than the virtual realities it creates. The Princeton Review recently recognized the program as a national leader in video game design. In fact, the EAE undergraduate program ranked as the top innovative and productive gaming schools in the country beating out the likes of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Southern California, and other esteemed programs. Not to be out done, the program's graduate program was recognized as the second best in video game design.
"We are so excited to be recognized nationally as a game design program," said Corrinne Lewis, program manager of EAE. "This is more a reflection and recognition of our great staff and professors, but of course our excellent students and alumni. We really do have the greatest minds in the world on our campus."
Designing Utah Jobs
While the EAE program may be the best at educating those great minds, finding jobs in the State of Utah is even better. The state ranks as the sixth most information concentrated economy in the country for employment, and has attracted the top employers in the industry to the state, including Electronic Arts (EA) and Disney Interactive Studio.
Nationally the video game and digital media industry is a $21 billion market, and continues to grow. Such a big market means jobs, and lots of high-paying jobs. The EAE program is specifically designed to help students meet this demand.
Building the Workforce
EAE exposed me to a great deal of process and production practices that have been a guiding light in being able to complete large projects on time.
–- Matt Anderson, EAE graduate
Matt Anderson, a graduate of both the EAE undergraduate and graduate programs is evidence of this focus. Anderson's degrees helped lead to not just one job, but two-working as creative director of Broken Compass Studios and as a project manager of Party and Mobile Games for Wyrd Games.
"EAE exposed me to a great deal of process and production practices that have been a guiding light in being able to complete large projects on time," said Anderson. "There is no substitute for being surrounded by bright people who are as passionate and engaged with your field as you are."
Further evidence of EAE's focus on producing the best talent for the video game industry is Laura Warner, 2012 alumni from the program's graduate program. Warner now works on creating character animation for Disney Interactive Studio in Salt Lake City.
"The EAE program provided me with so many things including the tools, experience, education and networking needed to get a job in a very competitive industry," said Warner.
While Warner and Anderson have found jobs at industry leading firms, other graduates of the EAE program are redefining the way we even think about digital media. Alex Johnstone, another double graduate of EAE works as a consultant for the digital media exhibits for the Leonardo, a science and technology museum in downtown Salt Lake.
Johnstone attributes his success to EAE's innovative and collaborative learning environment. "The EAE develops a strong culture of collaboration through a team dynamic of designers, engineers, and programmers," said Johnstone. "This academic environment has helped me apply the same type of thinking when developing exhibit design."
The graduate program with the new Master of Entertainment Arts and Engineering (MEAE) degree will provide students with a much more focused and detailed designation for the video game industry as compared to the traditional Master's of Science or Fine Arts.
Designing the Future
While the EAE has garnered accolades and jobs for graduates, the program is also striving to evolve and improve. The graduate program with the new Master of Entertainment Arts and Engineering (MEAE) degree will provide students with a much more focused and detailed designation for the video game industry as compared to the traditional Master's of Science or Fine Arts.
"The EAE program attracts creative and innovative students from a variety of disciplines and currently has roughly 400 undergraduate students and 60 graduate students," said Lewis. "The new MEAE will allow these students to gain a more focused, while still interdisciplinary experience in game design."
Students currently in the program also rave about this interdisciplinary experience provided by the EAE faculty and the program's cohort-oriented. Andrew Witts, a graduate student in the MEAE program, moved from Boston to Salt Lake because of the program's top ranking and curriculum.
"I believe that the academic environment of the EAE program is what makes it different," says Witts. "I believe it keeps students like myself on their toes and focuses on molding our professional identities."
Alice Owens, a graduate from the EAE undergraduate program and now in her first year in the MEAE program added, "The EAE program has awesome faculty. There are industry professionals teaching and providing vital information for every student's future in game design."
Building for Success
The faculty at EAE includes two Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative affiliated professors, Cem Yuksel and Craig Caldwell. USTAR focuses on driving innovation, supporting entrepreneurs and developing new technologies.
From the classroom to the creative design team of the industry's top companies, the EAE program's main goal is to develop the next generation of game designers.
–- Connie Lewis, program manager, EAE
"When we were developing the EAE program we wanted to integrate the economic development and commercialization aspect of USTAR," said Caldwell. "We wanted students to work together from an artist, programmer and an engineer all in the same environment, as they would in any startup."
This focus on economic development, entrepreneurship, and commercialization led to a partnership between the U of U Technology Commercialization Office (TCO) and the EAE program. This collaboration led to Utah Game Forge which is an independent game publisher formed to publish student games originating from the EAE program.
Students in the EAE program work in teams to develop games for the real world. Since the creation of Game Forge, 10 student games have been published and more than 67,500 copies of EAE student produced games have been downloaded.
"From the classroom to the creative design team of the industry's top companies, the EAE program's main goal is to develop the next generation of game designers," said Lewis. "Our program is agile and tailored to meet this objective, and the future for EAE and Utah's game design industry looks bright."
