Michael Christel
Teaching Professor at Entertainment Technology Center, Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Summary
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Senior🎓
Top SchoolMichael Christel is a Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center, bringing over three decades of multimedia research and production experience to interdisciplinary graduate education. He designs and mentors transformational games for learning and health, drawing on a deep research background in video analysis, information visualization, and digital library systems that began with a PhD from Georgia Tech. A longtime CMU practitioner since the late 1980s and former Informedia founding member, he blends rigorous research with hands-on engineering—recently contributing to the Panda3D game engine by improving 3ds Max export, collision handling, and asset compatibility. His current focus on playtesting and playcentric design bridges academic research and practical game development, helping students iterate toward engaging, evidence-based experiences. Based in Pittsburgh, he is known for translating complex multimedia and interface problems into usable tools and instructional projects that advance both scholarship and practice.
16 years of coding experience
22 years of employment as a software developer
Ph.D., Computer Science, Ph.D., Computer Science at Georgia Institute of TechnologyB.S., Mathematics and Computer Science, B.S., Mathematics and Computer Science at Canisius University
Github Skills (11)
panda3d10
3d-models10
c-language10
cross-platform10
game-development10
cprogramming-language10
game-engine10
user-interface8
graphical-user-interface8
ui-design8
python6
Programming languages (4)
Github contributions (5)
panda3d/panda3d
Jul 2009 - Aug 2011
Powerful, mature open-source cross-platform game engine for Python and C++, developed by Disney and CMU
Role in this project:
Full-stack Developer
Full-stack DeveloperContributions:32 commits in 2 years 1 month
Contributions summary:Michael's contributions primarily involved modifications to the Panda3D game engine's exporter for 3ds Max. They implemented new collision options and user interface elements within the exporter, indicating a focus on enhancing asset import functionality. Furthermore, the user addressed bugs related to vertex colors, animation hierarchies, and texture swapping. They integrated fixes and feature additions within the exporter to improve compatibility and functionality of the game engine.
pythonc-plus-plusmulti-platformenginepanda3d-game-engine
mikechristel/sciencemakers-www
Sep 2017 - Mar 2023
The ScienceMakers Digital Archive
Contributions:2 PRs, 75 pushes, 3 branches in 5 years 7 months
digital-archivearchive
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