One of my two undergraduate research projects was to develop an educational computer game to spark high school students’ interest in antimicrobial resistance. The project was led by Professor Angela Violi and Associate Research Scientist Paolo Elvati from the Mechanical Engineering Department. My goal was to present their innovative research about nanoparticles in an accessible and interactive manner. In order to achieve the classroom objectives of the project, I also met with Darin Stockdill and other program design coordinators from the School of Education.

Being at the center of such an interdisciplinary project, I learned a lot through my frequent meetings with experts in different fields. The research explored the issues that arise when bacteria adhere to the surface of implants, such as hip replacements. Biofilm formation begins as more bacteria adhere and begin to produce extracellular polymers that create the extracellular matrix (ECM). This process can be very dangerous, as the ECM can protect bacteria from antibiotics. However, by coating the surface of implants with nanoparticles, biofilm growth can be prevented.

Despite my increased understanding of the research and the learning goals, I found it increasingly challenging to combine everything. I consulted with my former game development professor, Austin Yarger, for advice. He advised me to not hyper-focus on creating something complete from the start. I was stuck trying to address the research and curriculum while also trying to make it engaging and fun.

I followed his suggestion to create a basic prototype to show the stakeholders, so that we could begin to hone in on the final idea through experimentation. Using the principle of composition over inheritance to group certain functionalities into reusable components, I was able to efficiently deliver prototypes of a tower-defense game, an action game, and an interactive animation. We found a balanced game design idea that addressed the curriculum goals, the research, and was fun; by having students manipulate the properties of the nanoparticles, as bacteria react differently to their material, size, shape, charge, and chirality. Although I couldn’t see the project through to its end, it helped me realize my career direction. I wish to further pursue roles where I’m responsible for creating something innovative and using a multifaceted approach.