Elizabeth LaPensee, an assistant professor in the Department of Media and Information, was recently recognized by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) Serious Games Special Interest Group for her dedication to advocacy and “reaching new communities through serious games.” LaPensee was honored with the 2017 Serious Games Community Leadership Award. She accepted the award in San Francisco, California on March 1.
LaPensee is known for her work with indigenous communities, contributing her talents as a designer, artist, and writer to several games with focuses on promoting language and cultural traditions. Recent releases include Mikan, a mobile game for passing on her language; Manoominike, a motion game about ricing; and Coyote Quest, a game for sharing indigenous science. She also designed the game Honour Water, which brings attention to threats to water and using singing as a way of healing.