Johanna Pirker belongs to the club of successful under-35s. Her generation has grown up with the Internet and mobile communication, both topics that Generation X and the Baby Boomers still partly have to get used to. This is usually where the headwind comes from when it comes to Johanna Pirker’s passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A software and business developer Johanna Pirker studied at Graz University of Technology as well as at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); in 2017 she received her PhD on Immersive and Engaging Forms of Virtual Learning. The Graz native already recognized her mission when she was three or four years old: although she could neither read nor write at the time, she knew exactly which commands were needed to get her favorite game “Prince of Persia” on her father’s computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, the 33-year-old professor at Graz University of Technology teaches games engineering, the ability to develop computer games. She wants to explain to the world that computer games are anything but dangerous: “I believe that games manage to teach us empathy, that is, understanding by feeling. I see the world through different eyes and can review my decisions over and over again. Because I can play through every situation several times. And I can not only show others everything that’s in my head, but make it possible for them to experience it directly – all my fantasies, all my ideas.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked whether most gamers don’t tend to retreat into worlds of escape because their own lives are so dull, Johanna Pirker replies, “I don’t see that. Many studies show that gamers know the difference between reality and non-reality. It’s like watching a good movie. During the experience, I’m in this fictional world. When the experience is over, I’m out again. The games I’m talking about likewise convey experiences, they tell stories that help me understand myself better. In other words: In games, we can try ourselves without fearing the real consequences, but can very much learn the lessons.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nGaming as a learning field for a better world<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Creating impact through gaming<\/h4>\n\n\n\n