About Lance
I am a graduate of California State University Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts in animation. I received my Masters of Science in Applied Games at University of California Santa Cruz, surveying different systems, human robotic interaction and computational media with an emphasis in education and how virtual reality can be used to condition invididuals. Some of the research that I have partook on in the past include video games, human subject research, virtual reality, user behavior simulations, usability research, artifical intelligence, human robotics research, and BTS (Yes! The Boy Band).
Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Education:
2024 University of California Santa Cruz, Masters of Science Computational Media Applied Games
2020 California State University Los Angeles, Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Animation, Magna Cum Laude
2015 MiraCosta College, Associates of Art Social and Behavioral Sciences
Research Lab Affiliations
Mimic Simulator, Site Link
Summary: Mimic is a social navigation and crowd studies tool for customizing and playing social simulation instances and for validating social navigation algorithms
Misfit Lab, Site Link
Interaction Dynamics Lab, Site Link
Alt Games/Controllers Lab, Site Link
Awards and Distinctions:
Academia
2024 University of California Santa Cruz Dean’s Research Travel Grant
2024, 2023 Academic Senate Committee Representative for Information Technology
2023 Games and Playable Media Graduate Fellowship
2023 University of California Santa Cruz Dean’s Research Travel Grant
2022 University of California Santa Cruz Serious Games RTA Graduate Fellowship
2020 California State University Los Angeles Glas Animation Grant
2019 CSU Scholarship The Nathaniel R. and Valerie Dumont
2019 Ronald H Silverman Fine Arts Gallery Animation Showcase
2018 California State University Fullerton Deans Art Scholarship
2015 Associate Student Body Senator, MiraCosta College
Certifications
2024 CSAC – Financial Aid Training Certificate
2024 Google – Google Certified Educator Level 1 Credential ID: 101625915
2023 Mentor Collective – Student Success Mentor Training Credential ID: 448llaydeb
2022 CITI – Human Subjects Research, Internet-Based Research Credential ID: 52670331
2022 CITI – Human Subjects Researchers-Social, Behavioral, and Economic Credential ID: 52661396
Invited Talks
2024 Teaching in the Age of Generative AI, Teaching & Learning Center, February 28, 2024
ProfessionaL ACHIEVEMENTS
2024 CSAC Financial Aid Training Certificate
2024 Advisory Committee Member: Reviewed applications to the “Graduate Dean’s Research Travel Grant” and decides how to disperse the available funds
2021 MeridianLink Excellence Recognition, October 2021, December 2021<—Perfomance Review
2019 Autodesk, The Rookies Certificate
2019, 2018 I Serve Los Angeles, Bronze Level Volunteer
Professional DEVElopment
2024 CSAC Finanancial Aid Workshop
2024 CSU Counselors Conference
2024 UC Counselors Conference
2024 Game Developers Conference
2023 Adobe MAX 2023 Creativity Conference: adobe workshops presenting new developments of its suite of applications
2023 Game Developers Conference: Attended workshops in future technology affecting our workforce
Professional Organizations
2022 ACM SIGGRAPH – The ACM SIGGRAPH community is a global nonprofit organization serving the evolution of computer graphics and interactive techniques.
2022 UAW Local 2865 – Union for Tutors, Readers, Graduate Student Instructors and Teaching Assistants at the University of California educational system.
Activities
Spartan Races
2024 Spartan Race Ultra 50k: San Luis Obispo
2024 Spartan Race Super: Oakdale, Monterey
2024 Spartan Race Sprint: Oakdale
2023 Spartan Races Super: Paicines, Norcal
2023 Spartan Trail: San Jose
2022 Spartan Race Beast: Lebec
2022 Spartan Stadion: San Francisco, Anaheim
Half Marathons
2024 Surfers Path Half Marathon: Santa Cruz, California
2024 Santa Cruz Westside Half Marathon: Santa Cruz, California
2024 Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series San Jose: San Jose, California
Marathons
2025 Oakland Marathon – Oakland, California
2021 Los Angeles Marathon,
2021 California Coast 500 Run the One Ultra Marathon
INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF WORK
My interests outside of work include but not limited to hiking, camping, running marathons, Spartan races, cycling, anything outdoors related really.
I write reviews in my spare time of the places I’ve been on Google Reviews
I post tutorials, video game gameplay on Youtube and enjoying teaching others in the classroom.
Get In Touch:
Please find my contact information via LinkedIn as well as further professional information.
bETA tESTING
2023 Adobe Illustrator on the Web Beta Tester
2022 Adobe Firefly Beta Tester
2022 Unreal Engine 5 Meta Humans Web Application
aDDITIONAL vIDEO gAME pROJECTS
Zoopany – A narrative-driven, role-playing co-op game that places players into the perspectives of an employee experiencing their first job at a small game development company
Escaping the Turmoil: My Journey Towards A Peaceful Relationship – A project about escaping the drama of relationships and the stress that comes with being pressured to be in one
L. Mendoza 