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Athens OH 45701
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Scripps College of Communication
Faculty
Ohio Expert
John Bowditch
Ohio Expert

John Bowditch

Professor & Director, The Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab
McClure School of Emerging Communication Technologies
Schoonover Center RM 371

Education

  • Ohio University, 2006 - MA - Telecommunications
  • Ohio University, 2004 - BSC - Telecommunications

Areas of Expertise

  • Mixed and Hyper-Reality development
  • VR and game development
  • Themed experience design

Research Interests

  • XR (Virtual, Augmented, Mixed, Cine-VR, and Hyper) Reality
  • Themed experience design

Courses Taught

  • VR Production: Interactive
  • VR and Game Development Capstone
  • Mixed and Hyper-Reality Development
  • Storytelling, Technology, and Digital Media in Theme Parks
  • Game Development I and II
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Biography

John Bowditch is the Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab director and professor of virtual reality and game development at the J. Warren McClure School of Emerging Communication Technologies in the Scripps College of Communication. His current research primarily focuses on location-based mixed and hyper-reality development.

John has led over 40 funded research and development projects at Ohio University, totaling more than $9 million in support. Sponsors have included the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, the Department of Labor, the Department of Education, and the Ohio Department of Medicaid.

Publications

Bowditch, John, and Eric R. Williams. The power of Virtual Reality Cinema for Healthcare Training: A Collaborative Guide for medical experts and Media Professionals. Boca Raton, FL: Routledge/Productivity Press, 2022.

Schultz, Brandon K., Steven W. Evans, John Bowditch, Kaitlynn Carter, Emma E. Rogers, Jennifer Donelan, and Allison Dembowski. "Acceptability and Playability of an Organization Training Videogame for Young Adolescents with ADHD: The Development of Athemos." PLOS Digital Health 2, no. 11 (November 13, 2023).

Presentations and Awards

  • Scripps College of Communication Dean's Leadership Circle (2025)
  • FBI National Academy Foundation's Science and Innovation Award (2023)
  • Silver Medal, International Serious Play Summit (2022)
  • Ohio University Outstanding Administrator Award (2019)