NSF Virtual Grants Conference

June 5, 2023 2:00 PM ET  to 
June 8, 2023 4:00 PM ET

Registration will open on Wednesday, May 10 at 12PM ET.

Join the National Science Foundation for the Spring 2023 NSF Virtual Grants Conference, to be held during the week of June 5, 2023. 

Just like the in-person grants conferences, the NSF Virtual Grants Conference is a must, especially for new faculty, researchers and administrators.

Highlights include:

• New programs and initiatives
• Proposal preparation 
• NSF's merit review process 
• NSF directorate sessions 
• Award management topics 
• Conflict of interest policies 
• NSF systems updates 

The NSF Grants Conference is designed to give new faculty, researchers, and administrators key insights into a wide range of current issues at NSF. NSF staff will provide up-to-date information about policies and procedures, specific funding opportunities and answer attendee questions. 

Video Games as Cultural Artifacts: How Pathologic Communicates to Players the Trauma-Induced Nostalgia of Russians

Maria Kutishcheva
Mentor: Mary Laurents, History

Recent global events stress the importance of preservation and analysis of Russian political culture. Historically, Russian and Soviet citizens have had their political culture and civic life repressed throughout modern history, most typically through violence and oppression. However, during a brief time after the fall of the Soviet Union, Russian citizens could, for a moment, freely their opinions. Pathologic was a video game released by developer Ice-Pick Lodge in 2006, during this very time of partial political freedom. As such, Pathologic could serve as a cultural and political relic of Russia. This paper explores video games as a storytelling medium that provides a player with a unique and interactive perspective that cannot be simulated with other forms of media. Content-based analysis of other video games reveals their ability to serve as cultural artifacts, such as through the video game Never Alone, as well as political commentary for current events, alluded to in the video game Papers, Please. In Pathologic, the player needs to save a town from a plague through the perspective of two main characters, “The Bachelor” and “The Haruspex”. Analysis of Pathologic would provide insight into the collective identity of the Russian people.

For the full URCAD schedule, see: URCAD.umbc.edu

Please join us tomorrow, Wednesday April 5^TH  from 3-5PM for the EHS Graduate Speaker Seminar Series via Webex. Our speaker this week is Dr. Abigail Eichorn, FEMA, Branch Chief, Operations Support|IMAT Division Field Leadership Directorate (FLD). Bring your questions and discussion points!

Webex join info below:

Meeting link:

https://umbc.webex.com/umbc/j.php?MTID=m6e7d6652460bc04887262a15b6dbff8f