September 4, 2024
A group of St. John’s University students recently enjoyed the rare opportunity to postulate, through the creation of a board game, the challenges of traveling and settling a distant planet, and presented their findings at CERN’s IdeaSquare Research Center in Meryin, Switzerland.
CERN is an intergovernmental organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world, and its 23 member states collaborate on world-class research in fundamental physics. IdeaSquare is a test facility at CERN that hosts research and development projects and facilitates student programs.
The project was developed as a collaborative initiative between St. John’s University and the Idea Square Research Center, and resulted from a pitch at the International Design Factory Conference in 2023, noted Max Hergenrother, M.F.A. ’03C, Associate Dean of Academic Technology and Pedagogic Innovation in The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies.
“The idea was to engage in interdisciplinary research focused on solving challenges related to interplanetary travel, which have real-world applications,” Prof. Hergenrother observed. “The collaboration was driven by our existing relationships with key figures at CERN, and the incredible opportunity it presented for our students to engage with a world-renowned research institution.”
The overarching goal of the game was to convey the challenges that a team of astronauts may face on the journey from Earth to a new planet, establishing a settlement, and returning home.
Prof. Hergenrother played a significant role in integrating design-thinking methodologies into the project, which helped game development students refine and improve their ideas through iterative processes. “I worked closely with the staff at the CERN Design Factory to guide the students, facilitating feedback sessions, playtesting, and regular check-ins.,” he explained. “My focus was on ensuring that the students’ work evolved significantly during the week, resulting in a polished prototype by the end of the project.”
Edrex Fontanilla, M.F.A., Associate Professor, Director, Game Development and Emerging Media, recalled that the project was developed “out of a deep-seated desire to engage our students in meaningful, high-impact research that goes beyond the classroom.”
Prof. Fontanilla initiated the project three months prior by organizing a contest among game development students, which led to the selection of a team. “I then guided these students through weekly sessions where we explored design thinking and other methodologies central to the CERN Idea Square’s approach. Once on-site, I continued to support the students through working group discussions, feedback sessions, and by helping them integrate the feedback from CERN’s experts into their project. My goal was to ensure that our students were primed to contribute meaningfully to the project.”
He added, “The students were incredibly enthusiastic from the start, but what truly impressed me was their adaptability. They came in with strong individual ideas, but the experience at CERN pushed them to think and work collaboratively in ways they hadn’t before.”
Student Jonathan X. Fortune-Canon ’24CCPS, a Game Development and Emerging Media major, was the leader of game design and intricacies for the project. “Our job was to make sure it was conveyed to the player in an engaging and informative way.”
He added, “This role placed me in charge of collaborating with others to create engaging mechanics that would challenge the players while they interact with one another, as well as design mechanics that were representative of the challenge that settlers of a new planet may face on the journey.”
Jonathan worked in tandem with other team leaders, professors, and students. “Learning how to engage each other while striving to complete this goal was one of the best experiences I’ve had,” he stressed.
“Whether that entailed solving a problem through collaboration or learning how to tackle an objective during a time constraint, the experience was helpful in teaching me how a team should work on a project. It taught me what it’s like to communicate on a larger scale with a team to accomplish a goal, and how having more minds can benefit a project.”
Marco Carenza ’23CCPS, ’24MS, a student in the dual-degree, fast-track B.S. Cyber Security Systems/M.S. Cyber and Information Security program, was the overall leader for the project. He noted that the lessons learned from this trip also had to be applied to a real-world, solvable problem on Earth.
“The specific example we were given was that we would need to gain the skills to solve a real-world famine,” he explained.
Marco noted that the project was originally conceived as a video game. “At a certain point, we decided to shift the project from a video game to a tabletop game. We felt it would allow for our product to be a lot more modular and customizable so that when we eventually went to CERN, we could make any changes we needed on the fly.”
Additionally, Marco stressed, having a tabletop experience would be significantly easier than creating a video game. “This shift in focus led me to develop an idea for a tabletop game, which would become the prototype we would bring to CERN. I was responsible for designing, balancing, and implementing every single aspect of the game. While in Geneva, I took charge of leading and presenting the game to CERN and the various playtesters that were present.”
Marco felt the project was a valuable experience that taught him leadership, game design, and project management skills. “I can utilize these skills when producing future projects, as well as eventually finalize the game concept and produce something to add to my portfolio.”
All participants agreed that visiting CERN was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and were offered tours of the facility during breaks.
Prof. Fontanilla explained, “The experience was nothing short of inspiring. The IdeaSquare’s hackerspace, with its open and transparent layout, was a physical manifestation of the collaborative spirit we aim to foster at St. John’s University. The people at CERN cared deeply about crafting a supportive learning community. Everyone was so generous with their time, making our playtest sessions so much more fruitful. The environment encouraged cross-pollination of ideas, which is vital in sustaining the momentum of project iteration.”
“Visiting CERN was a bucket list experience for me,” Prof. Hergenrother stressed. “The Idea Square space, with its open, collaborative design, was incredibly inspiring. The environment, along with the chance to work with such esteemed professionals, amplified the work we started back at St. John’s. The whole experience was thought provoking and left a lasting impact on both the students and myself.”
He added, “The experience had a significant impact on the students, many of whom were traveling internationally for the first time. It also opened doors for future collaborations with CERN, which I believe will continue to benefit our University.”