Rabindra ("Robby") Ratan is an Assistant Professor and AT&T Scholar at Michigan State University's Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media. He received his Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and his M.A. and B.A. from Stanford University. His research focuses on the social and psychological implications of media use, with an emphasis on interactive environments that facilitate the use of mediated self-representations (e.g., avatars). He is also interested in the topics of games for education, virtual world economies, gender in online games, online communities, and carmunication (communication between drivers). Recently, his work includes experiments that utilize video game-based stimuli with psychophysiological measures, as well as analyses of large-scale back-end databases provided by game publishers that are linked to survey responses from players.

His research is directed toward publication as well as the development of new video games, virtual environments, and other technologies. He is currently involved in a mobile-app startup that focuses on wellness improvement through self-awareness and he hopes to build a gaming component into the app …possibly with the help of some TISM students. :) He also welcomes the opportunity to help students with their own entrepreneurial endeavors.

Personally, Robby is relaxed, analytical, somewhat loquacious. Outside of class and research, he enjoys racquetball, skateboarding, and spending time with his wife and son.