NEW MEXICO – The Learning Games Lab team in the Department of Innovative Media Research and Extension in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University (NMSU) has been honored with the 2024 Intellectual Property Award presented by the Arrowhead Center and the Office of Research, Creativity and Economic Development.
The award was presented at the Bobby Lee Lawrence Wine Academy in Gerald Thomas Hall, and recognizes NMSU faculty or staff who have developed intellectual property and demonstrated work for social, industrial and commercial benefits.
“Our team was surprised and honored to be recognized by Arrowhead with this award. Over the years, we have benefited greatly from Arrowhead’s expertise and guidance in technology licensing. They have been with us every step of the way as we have explored avenues to reach a wider audience with our games and multimedia tools,” said Amy Smith Muise, Research and Outreach Editor, Innovative Media. .
The ceremony coincided with World Intellectual Property Day, which is celebrated annually on April 26 to highlight the role of intellectual property rights in fostering rights and creativity. The Arrowhead Center’s Intellectual Property Office helps NMSU faculty and staff obtain patents to protect their innovative discoveries.
“NMSU encourages innovation, creativity and the protection of original innovations in order to commercialize them for sharing with the widest distribution,” said Patricia Knighten, director of Innovation Commercialization at Arrowhead Center.
For more than 20 years, the NMSU Learning Games Lab team has been developing science-based, computer-enhanced educational programs. The Learning Games Lab holds the Math Snacks brand and copyrights to 14 games, four interactive programs, four apps, an app suite, Virtual Insect Collection Lab, Science of Agriculture Series and Food Safety Virtual Labs.
The Learning Games Lab team, comprised of instructional designers, educators, animators, programmers and online learning specialists, creates tools and games for diverse populations in New Mexico and beyond. The Learning Games Lab team also includes faculty who conduct research on media development and support meaningful uses of technology in the New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service.
In December 2023, Math Snacks will be available from Game Learning thanks to a commercial licensing agreement that Arrowhead Center helped facilitate.
Ongoing research in the Game Learning Lab serves as a foundation for the development of effective tools and contributes to expanding knowledge of digital and interactive media.
