Simone Downie
Assistant Professor of Game Design and Animation
Schl of Creative Technologies
Office
CVA Center For The Visual Arts 202a
Office Phone
Email
- About
- Education
- Awards & Honors
- Research
Biography
Simone Downie teaches and researches at the epicenter of art, gameplay, and interactivity. She is interested in how these worlds can blend together to create hands-on experiences that foster motivation, storytelling, and social bonding.
Current Courses
CTK 390.001 Directed Projects/Seminar In Arts Technology
ART 217.001 Animation: Drawing and Stop Motion
CTK 490.011 Directed Projects In Creative Technology
CTK 390.008 Directed Projects/Seminar In Arts Technology
CTK 351.001 Game Design I
CTK 431.001 Game Design I
CTK 251.001 Introduction to Digital Animation
CTK 481.004 Selected Topics in Creative Technologies
Teaching Interests & Areas
Game design, design thinking, traditional animation, 2D art
MFA Design
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
BA Film and Media Arts
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
BA English
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
University Service Initiative Award
Office of the Provost, Illinois State University
2025
College Service Initiative Award
Office of the Provost, Illinois State University
2024
Grants & Contracts
Understanding and Alleviating the Wicked Problem of Self-Management Adherence Among Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices and Their Caregivers Using AI-Powered Machine Learning and Gamification. Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2025)
Understanding and Alleviating the Wicked Problem of Self-Management Adherence Among Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices and Their Caregivers Using AI-Powered Machine Learning and Gamification. Research and Sponsored Programs. Illinois State University. (2025)
A Novel Adventure: Re-Engaging Hesitant Readers Through Collaborative, Multi-Sensory Gameplay. WKCFA College Research Committee. Illinois State University. (2024)
Building Community to Support Student Success in The School of Creative Technologies. Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2024)
Conference Proceeding
Carlson, K., Corness, G., Casida, J., Russell, L., Cox, D., & Downie, S. Exploring Affective Interaction in Self-Management Adherence for Artificial Internal Organ Care. CHI Workshop on Affective Computing (2025)
Kalantari, M., Downie, S., & Hashemi, A. Empathy and Communication: Developing a Mobile Game to Enhance Social Support for Young Adult Cancer Patients. Wei J. & Margetis G. (EDs), Human-Centered Design, Operation and Evaluation of Mobile Communications, HCII 2025. Springer Nature LNCS 15823 (2025): 247-263.
Kalantari, M., Carlson, K., & Downie, S. The Bitter Truth: Virtual Reality Life Review Experience. The International Symposium for Electronic Art (2025)
Downie, S. Designing an Arts-Based, Collaborative Mystery Game to Improve Players’ Motivation and Confidence as Storytellers. Baalsrud Hauge, J., C. S. Cardoso, J., Roque, L., Gonzalez-Calero, P.A. (EDs), Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer International Publishing 13056 (2021): 515-520.
Downie, S. Murder on Mansion Hill: Encouraging Collaborative Group Storytelling to Improve Motivational Aspects of Literacy Using Gameplay and Arts-Based Techniques. Jannicke Baalsrud Hauge, Jorge C. S. Cardoso, Licínio Roque, Pedro A. Gonzalez-Calero (EDs), Entertainment Computing – ICEC 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 13056 (2021): 46-61.
Journal Article
Downie, S., & Proulx, S. Investigating the role of gamification in public libraries’ literacy-centered youth programming. Michael Patte (EDs). International Journal of Play 11.4 (2022): 382-404.
Presentations
Collaboration with AI Through Teaching Practice in Creative Technologies. University Teaching and Learning Symposium: Emergent Technologies, Enduring Values: Reimagining Teaching for a New Era. ISU. (2025)
Collaboration with AI Through Teaching and Practice in Creative Technologies. AI & the Humanities: An Interdisciplinary Symposium. Illinois State University. (2025)
Creative Technologies - The Keynote. High School Research Symposium. (2023)
Beyond the Text: Motivating Learners to Explore Multimodal Narrative Through Gameplay. Hayes Graduate Forum. Council of Graduate Students. (2022)
Murder on Mansion Hill, A Collaborative Storytelling Game. International Conference on Entertainment Computing. IFIP. (2021)