TAMER THABET
Education
2006/Present Ph.D. (ABD), near completion. University of Antwerp, Belgium.
Subject of Research: Literary Theory and Computer Game Fiction.
Provisional Title of Dissertation: The Story as a Challenge: Fiction in a Virtual World.
2005/06 Master of Arts in American Studies. University of Antwerp, Belgium.
1995/99 Bachelor of Arts in English. Al-Azhar University, Palestine.
Employment History
Present Lab Manager and Associate Researcher, Simulating History Research Lab, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON.
Present Instructor, Interactive Arts and Science, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON.
2002/05 English as a Second Language Instructor, Om Al Qura School, Al Nil School, and Al Yarmouk School, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
2000/02 Gaza Office Administrator, Palestinian National Committee for UNESCO, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
1999/00 English as a Second Language Instructor, Gaza College School, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
1995/99 Translator/Interpreter, Samed TV Production Corporation, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
Publications
· “The 3D Story: A reading of Iron Storm”. Eludamos. Journal for computer game culture. 2008; 2; 2; 297-302.
http://www.eludamos.org/index.php/eludamos/article/view/45/76
· “Narrative Methodology in Computer Games”. Boitatá – Revista do GT de Literatura Oral e Popular da ANPOLL 6 (2008): 15-22. (ISSN 1980-4504)
http://www2.uel.br/revistas/boitata/volume_6_2008/Artigo%20Tamer%20ok.pdf
· “Monstrous Textuality in Computer Game Narratives”, 2009. [Article Submitted for publication in Game Studies: The International Journal of Computer Game Research]
· “The Delusion of Non-linearity: Hypertext and Game Narratives”. 2009 [Essay being edited and will be submitted for publication in Loading: Journal of the Canadian Gaming Studies Organization]
Paper Presentations
· “Interactive Media at Brock, for Niagara”. Co-presentation with Kevin Kee at Mapping the New Knowledges Conference, November 2009, Brock University, Canada.
http://www.brocku.ca/graduate-studies/conference-events
· “Computer Games as a Storytelling Medium”. Paper presented at the International Speaker Series, 2009, Brock University, Canada.
http://www.brocku.ca/brockinternational/TamerTalk.php
· “Temporal Storytelling in Computer Games”. Paper presented at the Interacting with Immersive Worlds Conference 2009, June 16, Brock University, Canada. http://www.philosophi.ca/pmwiki.php/Main/InteractingWithImmersiveWorlds2009
· “Local and Explorer Identities: A Comparison between Oral and Computer Game Narratives”. Co-presentation with Frederico Fernandes at the Humanities Research Institute Symposium, December 2008, Brock University, Canada. http://www.brocku.ca/brockinternational/AnnualReport0809.pdf
Reviews
· Member of the full paper review panel for PerthDAC 2007: The Future of Digital Media Culture, the 7th International Digital Arts and Culture Conference in Perth, Australia.
· Reviewer for Eludamos, Journal for Computer Game Culture. Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Medienwissenschaft (ZiM)/ Centre For Interdisciplinary Media Studies, Göttingen University.
· Reviewer for Loading: Journal of the Canadian Gaming Studies Organization.
Papers in Progress
· Brokenness and Healing in the New York Fiction. [The article treats the literary conventions common in the works of New York novelists from 1975 to 2000. This article will be submitted in December 2009 for publication in the Journal of Literary Studies]
· Sapphire’s Push: Author’s Victimhood and Character Victimization [Critique in progress].
Undergraduate Teaching
2009/2010 Brock University
Interactive Arts and Science (IASC) 3F00, Imagining Immersive Worlds
http://iasc3f00.com/
Critical approaches and cultural discourse on virtuality, immersion and simulation; impact of virtual worlds on identity, play, and stories; developing game/simulation in a virtual environment with focus on process and work ethics.
2008/2009 Brock University
IASC 1P10, Introduction to Media Tools
Systematic examination of imaging, multimedia authoring and animation software tools and their application to problems in visualization, representation and sequencing of image, text, video and audio content. Portfolio development emphasizes conceptualization and reflection in new media contexts.
2008/2009 Brock University
IASC 1P30, Programming for Interactive Media
Introduction to ActionScript programming language and object-oriented programming syntax and usage for classes, functions, properties and events in interactive Flash applications.
Conference Organization
Coordinator and member of the organizing committee of the Interacting With Immersive Worlds Conference 2009.
http://www.brocku.ca/iasc/immersiveworlds/