Michael Cassens, Assistant Professor (Gaming and Interactive Media); Director of UM ESports

Michael Cassens is a teacher, a computer scientist, a creative technologist, a gamer, and a game and a mobile application developer. His current focus is on being a better instructor, using gaming practices and theories to deliver better course content, and building better and more exciting games and applications for the marketplace using different games engines and mobile platforms. Michael is also the Director of Esports at the University of Montana with an emphasis on inclusion, diversity, and educational pathways for their players and team members.

Michael is currently at the University of Montana as an Assistant Professor of the School of Media Arts. In addition to continuing his research, Michael teaches courses within the Game Design and Interactive Media concentration in the BFA program. These courses focus on preparing students to contribute to an evolving world using code and modern technology.

Michael also started his own consulting company in 2002 in which he still operates building software for small to medium-sized businesses. Michael has a B.A. in Biology as well as an M.S. Computer Science. Originally from Boulder, Colorado, St. Louis, MO, then, Victor, MT, Michael loves being outside with his family as well as mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, photography, and just being in nature.