Kathryn Woodcock, PhD CCPE ICAE PEng
Professor
It’s literally the last minute before the TSSA Amusement Ride Safety Training Forum for this year. I’m delighted to contribute content for this NAARSO-accredited safety education event right at home in Ontario, with on-site sessions at Canada’s Wonderland. (Yes, the forecast low is -3C that day.)
This month (2025 March), I had the pleasure to join two classes at Wilfrid Laurier University for a guest lecture for students in courses in the User Experience Design program offered at WLU Brantford campus. Immersive Spaces (Prof. Hall) and Designing for EDI (Prof. Harris) were perfect courses to visit with two different presentations based on examples in theme parks.
Also delighted to return to visit Prof. Bill Childs for his course Recreation and Risk at Western New England University School of Law. In my visit, I talk about amusement parks’ competing expectations of safety and accessibility. Bill’s book would be of interest to anyone interested about the law applicable to recreational businesses, including amusement parks, water parks, haunted houses, and more.
I took advantage of these visits to also promote the Themed Experience and Attractions Academic Society to everyone! Hoping to see continued expansion of interest in the 2025 Symposium in November.
All those pandemic virtual skills came in handy to visit and present to the Purdue University Fusion Studio for their “First Friday” (Zoom) session in October 2023, talking about participation in amusement attractions and lessons for eligibility analysis and inclusive design of immersive entertainment using human factors engineering (and what your audience with disabilities would like to know!) Check this lecture series if you are interested in technology and entertainment.
Planning for IAAPA Expo, taking place in Orlando in November 2021, continues. Dr. Woodcock is joining a panel with Danielle Heffernan, of Cedar Fair, moderated by Charlie Wickham, grad student from Iowa State U, on industry-academia cooperation for themed entertainment. Check the IAAPA website for registration details. Early registration discount expires 23 September.
Selected guest lectures related to the THRILL Lab program and the attractions domain, presented to academic credit courses. These are available to repeat.
Continue reading “Guest lectures (academic)”These topics are available for presentation, and have been delivered at:
Global attractions safety. IAAPA Expo Asia 2020, Macau SAR, China (online). Moderated by F. Gonzales.
Come to your senses: improving access for guests with vision or hearing disabilities, Themed Entertainment Association, SATE (Storytelling + Architecture + Technology = Experience) Conference
The Necessary Risk, Keynote, Themed Entertainment Association, SATE (Storytelling+ Architecture + Technology = Experience) Conference