Dr. Ben Dyson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Alberta, and has 70 publications on topics ranging from decision-making, aesthetic judgements, electrophysiology and audio-visual interactions. His empirical research into the intersections between games and science has been funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Alberta Gambling Research Institute (AGRI), and Asmodee. He has also received a number of awards for his teaching including the Connie Varnhagen Excellence in Teaching Psychology Award (2022) and the Faculty of Arts Kathleen W. Klawe Prize for Excellence in Teaching of Large Classes (2024). A recent McCalla Professorship (2024 – 2026) awarded by the University of Alberta has allowed Ben to more closely study the impact that games can have in educational contexts. As a designer of analog games, Ben has been a two-time Canadian Game Designers Award (CGDA) Finalist (2024, 2025) and a finalist in the Swedish Annual Game Design Award (2025).