Two Faculty Members Publish Books

Two faculty members at Marywood University recently published books that they edited/authored.

Ryan Scavnicky, Director of Marywood University’s Virtual Architecture Program, served as editor and chapter author for the book Architecture and Videogames: Intersecting Worlds. This book is central to the forces behind Marywood’s new Virtual Architecture program—the only program of its kind in the world—solidly cementing Marywood University at the forefront of architecture and virtual world building design and education.

Videogames have rapidly transitioned from cultural novelty to architectural prophet over the past 50 years. Architecture and Videogames: Intersecting Worlds explores and affirms the emergent symbiosis between videogames and architecture, including insights from a diverse range of disciplines. With contributions from authorities in both the architecture and videogame industries, the book examines how videogames, as a medium, have enlightened the public about the built environments of the past, offered heightened awareness of our current urban context, and presented inspiration for the future directions of architecture.

Alexander Dawoody, Ph.D., Director of Marywood University’s Ph.D. Program in Strategic Leadership and Administrative Studies, published Lilies, Butterflies, and the Beekeeper, a play structured as a mixture of drama and philosophy, presented in an easy-to-read dialogue. The plot offers a timeless exercise in creative reconstruction of historic literature, combining Buddhism, Zarathustrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, to weave between various thoughts in order to bring humanity together.

Lilies, Butterflies, and the Beekeeper is a symbolic representation of humanity’s eternal struggle for reconciliation of thoughts, duties, and responsibilities toward peace, happiness, and justice. The scenes include philosophical discussions, laced with humor, as well as the concepts of God and religion, morality, reincarnation, and metaphors. By dealing with a murder that takes place during one of the acts, the characters contemplate how to proceed based on the notions of good and evil, accountability, and justice.

Both books can be found online and purchased on Amazon or from the publisher’s website.