Staff

The staff at the International Center for the History of Electronic Games™ (ICHEG) studies and interprets the cultural history of electronic games to ensure that they and related materials are collected and preserved for future generations and that present generations understand their impact on society. ICHEG staff participates in industry conferences and offer weekly insights on the CHEGheads Blog.

Jon-Paul C. Dyson, Director

J.P. is a gamer and an expert on the evolution of children’s literature and culture. He holds a doctorate in American cultural history, is Vice President for Exhibit Research and Development at Strong National Museum of Play^®, and led the team that designed and produced the museum’s 12,000-square-foot Reading Adventureland exhibit. Often called “the world’s biggest pop-up book,” this highly hands-on exhibit combines artifacts and interactivity in unique ways and includes many literary items that helped inspire electronic-game imagery.

Eric Wheeler, Curator

Eric is a gamer and an experienced collections manager. One of several curators at Strong National Museum of Play, he holds a master’s degree in American cultural history and is an adjunct member of the faculty of Monroe Community College and the State University of New York College at Brockport.

Shannon Symonds, Acquisitions Cataloger

Shannon is a gamer and collections management specialist. She has a background in journalism and Japanese cultural studies, holds a master’s degree in history, and has taught as an adjunct at the State University of New York College at Brockport.

Don Daglow, Collections Development Consultant

Don is an experienced game designer, programmer, and producer with a 40-year career in game development. He is widely recognized for designing a series of pioneering simulation and role-playing games, as well as the first-ever computer baseball game. In 2003 he received the CGE Achievement Award for “groundbreaking achievements that shaped the video game industry,” and in 2008 his work was selected for an Emmy^® Award for Technology and Engineering.

Stephen Jacobs, Visiting Scholar

Steve is Associate Professor of Interactive Games and Media in the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). He teaches courses in computer game history and design, interactive narrative, and humanitarian free and open software, and directs RIT’s Lab for Technological Literacy. Steve has more than two decades of experience as a freelance technology journalist, was founder of the pioneering blog The Gadget Boy Gazette, and was a contributing editor to CNET.com and Television 2.0.

This core team is supported by the rest of the Strong’s curatorial, library and archives, exhibits, and education staff and especially by Scott G. Eberle, Vice President for Interpretation and G. Rollie Adams, President and CEO. Scott holds a doctorate in American intellectual history, has executed scores of museum exhibits, is author of Classic Toys of the National Toy Hall of Fame, and is currently writing—in partnership with noted play scholar Stuart Brown—a book on the elements of play. Rollie holds a master’s degree in social science education and a doctorate in American history, has served on the staff of the American Association for State and Local History and the board of the American Association of Museums, and is Editor-in-Chief of Strong’s American Journal of Play.

Mario and other video game characters