Curriculum Vitae

Education

University

• MIT Media Lab. Doctoral Candidate. Epistemology & Learning Group.
• M.S. MIT Media Lab. Gesture & Narrative Language Group. (1997)
• M.Ed. Boston University. School of Education. Ed. Media and Technology (1995)
• B.A Univ. de Buenos Aires. Ciencias de la Comunicacion. Argentina (1993)
• Jounalist. T.E.A Escuela de Periodismo. Argentina (I992)
• Special program. Hebrew University of Jerusalem Israel (1989)

High School

• Escuela Normal Nacional N 1. Buenos Aires. Argentina (1983-1987)

Elementary School

• Escuela Normal Nacional N I. Argentina (1976-1977)(I980-I982)
• Ecole La Pepiniere, Abidjan, Ivory Coast (1977-I979)
• Ecole Internationale, Geneve, Switzerland (1980)

Research Experience

• MIT Media Lab: Research Assistant.
  • Epistemology & Learning Group (1997-present).
    • Project Lighthouse in Thailand
    • Project Unwired in Costa Rica
  • Gesture & Narrative Language Group (1995-1997)
• MERL Mitsubishi Electric Research Lab: Children's Hospital project (summer 1997)
• Interval Research Corp.: Summer fellowship (1996)
• Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Sociales. Universidad de Buenos Aires: Communication & Identity (1993-1994).
• Ed. Technology Research Center "Blas Pascal": Hypertext "Genesis to build-up". Argentina (1993).

Teaching Experience

• MIT, Media Laboratory (T.A.):
  • "Systems and Self". Mitchel Resnick & Sherry Turkle (1997-2000).
• Buenos Aires University. Communication Sciences Dept. (T.A.):
  • "Theory and Practice of Communication II: Culture, Cognition and Technology". Anibal Ford & Alejandro Piscitelli(1992-1994).
  • Psychology and Communication. Daniel Lutzky (Spring, 1992).
• La Plata National University. School of Journalism (T.A.):
  • "Constructivist epistemology and cognitive technologies". Alejandro Piscitelli (Spring, 1993).
• Systemic Psychology Graduate Center. Ramos Mejia (Instructor):
  • "Constructivism and technology in the laboratory of the therapist". with Alejandro Piscitelli. Argentina (Fall, 1993).
• Anthropology National Graduate Institute (lecturer):
  • "Virtual Epistemologies, visualization and representational technologies." with Alejandro Piscitelli. Argentina (Fall, 1992).

Academic Publications

• Bers,M., Gonzalez-Heydrich,G., DeMaso, D. (2001)"Identity Construction Environments: Supporting a Virtual Therapeutic Community of Pediatric Patients undergoing Dialysis". (PDF)In Proceedings of Computer-Human Interaction (CHI'01) ACM.
• Bers,M., Gonzalez-Heydrich,G., DeMaso, D., Corsini, E. & Harmon, W. (2000) Zora: A Pilot Virtual Community in the Pediatric Dialysis Unit(2000) Abstract. American Society for Pediatrics, Boston, MA.
• Bers, M & Cassell, J. (2000) "Children as Designers of Interactive Storytellers:"Let Me Tell You a Story about Myself..." In Human Cognition and Social Agent Technology . Edited by K. Dautenhahn. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, pp. 61-83
• Bers, M. & Urrea, C (2000) "Technological Prayers: Parents and Children Working with Robotics and Values" In Robots for Kids: Exploring New Technologies for Learning Experiences. Edited by A. Druin & J. Hendler. NY: Morgan Kaufman, pp. 194-217.
• Bers, M. (1999) Zora: a Graphical Multi-user Environment to Share Stories about the Self. In Proceedings of Computer Support for Collaborative Learning (CSCL'99) pp. 33-40
• Bers, M. & Best, M.(1999)Rural Connected Communities: A Project in Online Collaborative Journalism. In Proceedings of Computer Support for Collaborative Learning (CSCL'99), pp. 41-46.
• Bers, M & Cassell, J.(1999)"Interactive Storytelling Systems for children: using technology to explore language and identity." Journal of Interactive Learning Research, volume 9 (2), AACE,pp. 603-609.
• Bers, M.(1999) "Narrative Construction Kits: Who am I? Who are you? What are we?". In Proceedings of "Narrative Intelligence" Fall Symposium, AAAI'99.
• Bers, M.(1998) A constructionist approach to values through on-line narrative tools. ICLS 98, AACE.
• Bers, M & Bergman, S.(1998) A constructionist perspective on values: a response to postmodern fragmented identity. Identity, formation, dignity: The impacts of Artificial Intelligence upon Jewish and Christian Understandings of Personhood"(4/ 30-5/2 1998)conference organized by The Boston Theological Institute, MIT AI Lab and Center for Faith and Science Exchange.
• Bers, M et al (1998)"Interactive Storytelling Environments: Coping with Cardiac Illness at Boston's Children's Hospital" (with Ackermann, E.; Cassell, J.; Donegan, B.; Gonzalez-Heydrich, J.; DeMaso, D.; Strohecker, C.; Lualdi, S.; Bromley, D.; Karlin, J.) ( PDF) Published in CHI'98 Proceedings, ACM.
• "Storytelling Systems: Constructing the Innerface of the Interface." (with Cassell, J.) Cognitive Technologies Procedings '97, IEEE, pp.98-108.
• Umaschi Bers, M. (1997)"Soft Interfaces for Interactive Storytelling: Learning about Identity and Communication" MIT Media Laboratory Master's Thesis 1997. ( abstract in html format). Unpublished thesis available upon request.
• Umaschi, M (1997)"Soft Toys with Computer Hearts: Building Personal Storytelling Environments" Published in CHI'97 Proceedings, ACM, pp. 20-21 (HTML format)
• Glos, J & Umaschi , M (1997) "Once Upon an Object: Computationally-augmented Toys for Storytelling" ICCIMA '97 Conference Proceedings; Gold Coast, Australia. pp. 245-249.
• Umaschi, M (1996)SAGE Storytellers: Learning about Identity, Language and Technology. Published in Proceedings of ICLS '96 , AACE, pp.526-531 (ps format).
• Umaschi, M (1996)Rabbi: exploring the inner world through stories. Published in AAAI 96 Proceedings, Student Abstracts, Volume II, MIT Press, pp. 1413 (ps format).
• "The utopia of communication: cybernetics and systems theory " Cuadernos de Catedra Comunicacion II. Buenos Aires University, Buenos Aires:1993.
• Contributions to"Science in action. Social construction of scientific facts" (I&II) by Alejandro Piscitelli. CEAL, Buenos Aires: 1993.
• "From the global village to the global conventillo" by Anibal Fotd. Proceedings of the VII FELAFACS Meeting on Communication, Identity and Latin-American Integration. Mexico: 1992.

Work Experience

• Instructional Materials Center. Boston University : Help faculty, students and teachers to design educational applications and to develop their computer skills. USA. (1994-1995).
• Uno Mismo monthly magazine. Argentina: Journalist Junior Editor focused on technology, culture and society. (1991-1994)
• Ciba-Geigy Laboratory: Fellowship at the Press-Department. Argentina (1992)
• Santillana Publisher: Design and Production of Social Sciences textbooks. Argentina (1991)
• National Radio Splendid: Adaptation of biographies broadcast as soap-operas. Argentina (1990)
• Advertisement Agency FSD Young & Rubrican: Apprenticeship in the Creative Department. Argentina (1989)

Volunteer Work

• Computer Clubhouse @ Computer Museum. WWW and identity: family trees Boston. USA (1995).
• Emanu-EI Community: Youth leader, Journalism & Jewish identity Workshops. Argentina (1988-1993).
• Ethiopian Community: Integration of Ethiopian immigrants to western culture. Israel. (Spring 1989)
• Alternative Radio FM "Tradicion": Production, creation and broadcasting of talk-show for the community. Argentina. (1990)