Krystina S. Madej, PhD

Curriculum Vitae: September 2009

Publications and Presentations

 

Return to Academic/Professional Page

ksmadej@telus.net

ksmadej@sfu.ca

http://www/sfu.ca/~krystina

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Career Overview

Krystina Madej brings experience from a twenty-five year career in communications and design to her academic work. During her professional career, she oversaw the implementation of corporate and communications initiatives for government, business and industry, and the non-profit sector such as museums. She returned to graduate school to complete an MA in Professional Writing at Kennesaw State University in 1999 because of an interest in narrative in new media, and went on to complete a PhD in Interactive Arts and Technology at Simon Fraser University. Her interest in imaginative development led to a Post Doctoral Fellowship at the Imaginative Education Research Group at SFU to work with Dr. Kieran Egan. She has co-edited the book Engaging Imaginations and Developing Creativity in Education with Dr. Egan (Cambridge Scholars Press January 2010). She is currently an Adjunct Professor with the School of Interactive Arts and Technology at SFU. Her research links print and digital narrative experience and looks at how narrative is mediated by technology, is a part of our enculturation process, and creates meaning for us in our immediate and global environment. She regularly presents at conferences on these topics, and has most recently given a collaborative talk with Dr. Newton Lee at Emily Carr University on Disney Stories and Games: Making Technological Innovation a Reality.

 

2009 - Current Adjunct Professor, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, SFU, Surrey, BC

2008 - 2009     Postdoctoral Fellow, Imaginative Education Research Group, SFU, Burnaby, BC

2002 - 2007     PhD student, SIAT, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC

1999 - 2001     Masters student, MAPW, Kennesaw State University, Acworth, Georgia

1986 - 1999     Vice-President, Communications and Design, J. Budd & Associates Ltd., Calgary, AB

1984 - 1985     Associate Director, Market Development, ACCESS Network, Edmonton, AB

1980 - 1984     Communications Coordinator, Gov't of Alberta, International Trade, Economic Development

1980 - 1984     Communications Coordinator, Gov't of Alberta, Energy Conservation Branch, Alberta Energy

1976 - 1980     Designer, Design & Communications, Toronto, Ontario

1973 - 1975     Junior Artist, Embryon Advertising, Toronto, Ontario

1972 - 1973     Assistant Gallery Manager, Woodstock Gallery, London W1, England

 

Education

2007  PhD in Interactive Arts, SIAT, Simon Fraser University Surrey

2001  Master of Arts in Professional Writing, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia

1972  Bachelor of Fine Arts, Sir George Williams University (Concordia), Montreal, Quebec

 

Academic Experience 1999 - 2010

September 2010

Adjunct Professor

School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University

SIAT is an interdisciplinary research-oriented school that marries art and science, using technology as the foundational medium, and with the motivation of designing with people in mind (from the website). Dr. Madej has recently been appointed an Adjunct Professor at the school and is participating in a number of presentations for the SFU Colloquium Series for the winter term. This includes a collaborative presentation with Computer in Entertainment Magazine’s founder and Editor-in-Chief, Newton Lee in January, and a presentation on the Use of Imaginative Understanding in Developing G ames in March. She continues her involvement with IERG as an associate, most recently connecting imaginative understanding, education and games in an article on why kids hate schools; and with ongoing children’s narrative research projects such as PageCraft, a tangible interface for stories for kids on the go. Her most current research initiative is in children connecting with seniors through community narratives in public spaces using computers and white board technology.

 

April 2008 - August 2009

Post Doctoral Fellow

Imaginative Education Research Group (IERG), Simon Fraser University

Engaging students' imaginations in learning, and teachers' imaginations in teaching, is crucial to making knowledge in the curriculum vivid and meaningful; this new approach is called Imaginative Education (IE). The work of The Imaginative Education Research Group (IERG) is dedicated to showing how this can be done routinely in everyday classrooms. Main research interest: how people’s imaginative capabilities work with their affective, cognitive, and physical ones to create meaning through print and digital narrative. Activities included research and planning for the Learning in Depth program, planning the IERG publications program and workshops, editing 2007 conference proceedings, organizing the website, etc., and in particular

Chair, 7th International Conference on Imagination and Education

Co-Editor with Kieran Egan of “Effective Education: Engaging Imagination and Developing Creativity,” a book of essays recently accepted for publishing by Cambridge Scholars Press

Co-Editor with Kieran Egan of “”Educating the Imagination,” an article on Learning in Depth, in Education Canada.

Studies

PKP Open-Access Online Journal Workshop, Harbour Centre, Vancouver, Canada, July 2009

Digital Publishing Workshop, CCSP, SFU, Harbour Centre, Vancouver, Canada, July 2009

 

 

January 2002 - December 2007

PhD, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, BC, Canada

Thesis Topic: Characteristics of Early Narrative Experience: Connecting Print and Digital Game

Young children’s earliest encounters with print narrative are based in a multimodality that includes not only visual literacy, performance, and orality, but interactivity as well. In addition these encounters embrace a range of experiences that are socially constructed with parents, caregivers, and peers. The perception young children construct of narrative privileges these rich multimodal and social experiences rather than the conventional experiences and traditional forms of narrative that are familiar to us as adults. When narrative is used in computer and video games it encompasses the multidimensional and interactive characteristics of digital media. The resulting digital narrative falls outside the realm of traditional narrative forms but shares characteristics with early print narrative experience. This thesis looks at the characteristics of early print narrative experience that develop children’s perception of narrative and juxtaposes them with the characteristics of children’s later digital narrative experience. The emerging model of narrative understanding provides a view into the gestalt children bring to their engagement with computer and video games. It provides a stepping-stone to creating more meaningful narrative experiences for children within the video game environment. 

Research Interests

        - Story, imagery and interface: how these engage and immerse people to create meaning

        - History of print and digital media
        - Characteristics of early print narrative and digital game play experience

        - How cultural meaning is created by story, imagery and interface through print and digital media

        - Interface design as the culture factor on the web

        - Visual language and the rhetorical process of the web

        - Technology, media, and cultural policy as it affects access to and interpretation of culture

 

Professional Contributions

Chair, 7th International Conference on Imagination and Education, IERG, SFU, July 2009

Editorial Review Board Journal of International Communication

Editorial Review Board International Journal of Computer Games Technology

Editorial Review Board International Game Developers and Technology Workshop Conference

Editorial Review Board ACM Computers in Entertainment magazine

RA, SAGE Simulation and Advanced Gaming Environments for Learning Spring, 2004

 

Studies

Book Publishing Immersion Workshop, Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing, SFU, Vancouver, Canada. August 2006

Leonardo Summer Institute, Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology, SFU, Burnaby, Canada, May - August 2005

 

Awards

SFU, President's Research Stipend, Fall 2005 ($6000)

SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, Children's Digital Literature, May 2004 - May 2006  ($40,000)

Leonardo Summer Institute: Bursary, 2005 ($1,000)

SFU, SIAT Travel Grant, Spring, 2004  ($1,000)

SFU Graduate Fellowship, Fall 2003  ($6,000)

SFU Graduate Fellowship, Spring 2003  ($5,200) 

TechBC Entrance Scholarship, Fall 2002  ($1,500)

 

Presentations and Publications: see P & P

 

September 1999 - April 2001

Master of Arts in Professional Writing, Kennesaw State University,

Acworth, Georgia, USA

Thesis Topic: Digital Storytelling for Children

Research Interests

        - History of digital storytelling: eliterature, ebooks, digital games
        - Digital narrative as viewed by publishers, libraries, authors

        - Children's experience of digital vs print narrative

        - Visual language for writers

        - Online community

 

Professional Contributions

e-Publishing Conference, Feasability study conference development for Robert William, Director, Sturgis Library, Kennesaw State University, Georgia, Spring 2001

Writing for the Web, Course content development for Professor Margaret Walters, Department of English, Graduate Program, Kennesaw State University. Winter 2001

 

Business Experience

1985 to 1999   Vice-President,

J. Budd & Associates Ltd. Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Co-founder of J. Budd & Associates, a multi-disciplinary design firm with projects incorporate communications and marketing and industrial, graphic, and exhibit design.  Clients included corporations, business, government, cultural institutions, and non-profits.  Responsible for corporate planning, budgets, client relations, and project management as well as research, design, and writing for select projects.

 

Clients/Projects (Partial list)

Exhibits:

Alberta Culture. Frank Slide Interpretive Centre. 6,000 sq. ft. Needs and Resource Analysis, Interpretive Plan, Theme, Information Matrix, Storyline, Concept and Design, Phase One Implementation.  1990-92.                                   

Alberta Tourism. Walsh Travel Information Centre. Needs Analysis, Theme and Storyline, Concept and Design, Implementation.  1992.

Glenbow Museum. Fur Trader Gallery. Permanent Historical Exhibit. 1,200 sq.ft. Theme and Storyline, Concept and Design. 1991.     

Glenbow Museum. Warriors Gallery: Permanent Historical Exhibit. 6,000 sq.ft. Concept and Design, Implementation. Graphics. 1992.

Fox Creek Heritage and Tourism Foundation. Oil and Gas Interpretive Centre. 18,60 sq.ft. Needs and Resource Analysis, Interpretive Plan, Theme, Information Matrix, Storyline, Concept and Design. 1994.  

ITT Barton: Trade Show Exhibit. 1,500 sq.ft. Needs Analysis, Concept and Design, Project Management.  1991.                       

North West Mounted Police Commemorative Association. Reigning in the Wild Frontier. 10’ x 40’ tractor trailer. Mobile Museum. Needs and Resource Analysis, Interpretive Plan, Theme, Information Matrix, Storyline, Historical Research, Concept and Design, Production. 1993

Corporate and Marketing Communications

AGT Cellullar. Training Program Manuals, Promotional Display. 1994

Alberta Microelectronic Centre. Corporate Brand Development, Annual Reports, Display. 1988/1989.

Canadian Cancer Society/Alberta Cancer Board.  Steven Fonyo Cancer Prevention Program: Corporate Brand Development: Logo, Brochures, Newsletter.  1986/87

Canadian Cancer Society/Alberta Cancer Board. Public Education Program Review (with E.F. Einsiedel, A.A. Jones, and K. Cochrane). 1987.

Canadian Centre for Learning Systems. Corporate Brand Development/Public Relations Program.  1987.

Canada Safeway. Annual reports, Newsletter. 1990/1991.

Canadian Council for Grocery Distributors. Annual Conference Brand Program.  1993, 1996.                   

Childspace Inc. Corporate BrandProgram: Identity, Marketing, Catalogues, Display. 1990 - 95.

Glenbow Museum Acquisition Society. Gala Fundraising Package: Promotions, Invitations, Newsletters. 1991, 1992.

Novatel Communications. Product Packaging: Logo, Package Label, Disk Label.  1992.

Old Sun Community College. College Calendar.  1987.

Town of Olds: Corporate Communications Program: Logo, Town Signage, Brochures, Exhibit, Advertising.  1988-1993.

Paperworks Press. Newsletters, Brochures.  1993/1994.

University Technologies International Inc. Corporate Brand Program: Logo, Brochures, Display.  1989.

 

August 1986 - January 1987   Interim Manager, Public Relations and  Marketing

Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta

The Glenbow Museum is one of Canada’s leading museums.  As interim manager of PR and Marketing I  assisted curators with the promotion of exhibits.

Responsibilities included:

Develop marketing and public relations plans for shows, membership and fundraising

Administrate ‘Friends of Glenbow’ membership (7,000).

Plan, administrate budget, manage five staff

 

May 1984 - October 1985   Associate Director, Market Development

ACCESS Network, The Alberta Educational Communications Corporation, Edmonton, Alberta

In January 1985 ACCESS Alberta TV, the Alberta’s Public Television Service, increased the number of weekly broadcast hours from ten to seventy.  I was recruited to plan and implement launch public relations and marketing.  ACCESS is government funded with an audience that includes the Alberta Legislature, the CRTC, the general public, educators and the media, support was required from all for successful implementation.

Responsibilities included:

Conduct needs and resource analysis for launch, develop launch plan and budget, implement corporate image program for launch, develop feed-back mechanism, review and assess new programming

Develop public information plan for legislature, media, and public; provide media training

Conduct needs analysis of field program; implement down-sizing

Plan, administrate budget; manage 17 staff

 

September 1980 - May 1984   Communications Coordinator, Government of Alberta

International Trade, Department of Economic Development

Assisted Alberta companies with promoting goods and services internationally, including: U.S., South America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia, Middle East, Africa, Pacific Rim, Australia. 

Responsibilities included:

Plan, budget, and develop communications and marketing programs for tradeshows/missions

Major Accomplishments:

Project manager for the largest tradeshow held by the Chinese Government outside of China (1984): The Great Tradeshow and Cultural Exhibition of China

Plan, budget, develop and implement programs including: 5,000 sq.ft. Alberta Government exhibit, marketing and public relations material, business seminars

 

Energy Conservation Branch, Department of Energy and Natural Resources

Promotion of energy conservation throughout Alberta.

Responsibilities included:

Access needs, plan and develop communications programs for general public, schools, industry

Plan, manage development, and evaluate promotional materials, advertising, and public relations

Major Accomplishments: Plan and Develop The Alberta Energy Savers Public Information Program 

Series of technical information booklets on upgrading homes

Plan and implement marketing and pubic relations including print advertising campaign "Catch the Spirit," newspaper campaign "Energy clippers," and award-winning radio campaign

 

April 1976 - August 1980   Graphic Designer, Design & Communications Concepts, Toronto, Ontario

Graphic designer, sole proprietorship. Responsibilities included client contact, design and production for

Canadian Tire Corporation: Store Manuals

RCA Canada, TeeVee Records: Album Covers

Canadian Red Cross: ManuLife Blood Drive Promotion

 

April 1975 - April 1976   Junior Artist, Embryon Advertising, Toronto, Ontario

Junior artist responsibilities included: Typesetting, production, illustration (and everything else)
 

Nov. 1973 - April 1975   Course Coordinator/Instructor, Montreal, Quebec

Visual artiInstructor with schools and community centers for children's programs at the City of Montreal West, The Visual Art Centre, South Shore CEGEP and for adult programs at McGill University Extension Services.  National Film Board assistance for film projects with elementary grade children.    

 

Nov. 1972 – Nov. 1973, Gallery Manager, Woodstock Gallery, New Bond Street, London W1, England

The Woodstock Gallery showed contemporary art and represented artists from the U.K., Europe, Middle East, U.S., and Canada in three studio spaces. As gallery administrator responsibilities included organizing and hosting openings every three weeks, contacting media and devloping promotional material.

 

Business: Teaching and Presentations

Components of Public Relations,  Mount Royal College Continuing Education, Calgary, Alberta. Course design, Instructor, Spring Semester 1988, Spring Semester 1990

Business Communications, SAIT, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Calgary, Alberta. Instructor, Fall Semester 1992

Developing Marketing Communications Plans that Work, Town of Olds Town Council, Olds, Alberta   Presentation, December 1990

Planning and Development: Marketing Communications and Industrial Design, Presentation, Alberta Microelectronics Centre, Calgary & Edmonton, April 1988               

   

Special Interest

Glenbow Museum Acquisitions Society, Calgary, Alberta:

Chairman Sponsorship Committee. 1992 - 93

Board of Directors. 1991 -93

Board Volunteer. 1987 - 95

Book Collector

Master Gardener

University of Illinois, Cooperative Extension Service, Champaign, Illinois. 1996 - 97

University of Georgia, Cobb County Extension Services, GA.  1997 - 98