Ben Alfonsin
Email: Ben.Alfonsin@ttu.edu
Room Number: 702
M.A. Communication Studies, Texas Tech University
B.A. Communication Studies, Texas Tech University

Biography
Ben Alfonsin is currently pursuing a PhD in Media and Communication. Before joining the graduate program at Texas Tech University, Ben designed commercial documentation at DroneTech UAV and assisted in the child psychology department at Brooke Army Medical Center. He is currently a vendor artist with the Charles Adams Studio Project and hosts radio broadcasts as a DJ at KTXT 88.1 The Raider
Research
As his dissertation, Ben is currently creating a computer-mediated video game designed to illustrate and extrapolate how audiences conceptualize manipulative dark patterns in UX design with the goal of educating users on these topics, designing interactive tools as a viable alternative to a typical public service announcement.
Methodologies
- Experiment
- Data Analysis
- User Experience (UX) Research and Design
Research Areas
- Entertainment & Pop Culture
- Design Game Studies
- User Experience (UX)
Selected Publications
- Condis, M. & Alfonsin, B. (2023). Frostpunk, the apocalypse, and the "enduring temptation" of ecofascism. In END GAME: Apocalyptic Video Games, Contemporary Society, and Digital Media Culture. De Gruyter Oldenbourg.
- Punyanunt-Carter, N. & Alfonsin, B. (2022). College Students' Perceptions of Online Learning during the Pandemic. In Higher Education Implications for Teaching and Learning DuringCOVID-19. Rowman & Littlefield.
Presentations:
- Condis, M., Schweizer, B., & Alfonsin, B. (2022). The Society of Explorers and Adventurers: Trans-spatial Narratives at the Disney Theme Parks. Submitted to Society for Cinema and Media Studies (accepted).
- Alfonsin, B. (2023). The Use of Online Video Games as a Relational Maintenance Strategy in Long Distance Relationships. Submitted to Pop Culture Association, Video Games Divisision (accepted).
- Alfonsin, B. (2023). Retro Video Game Hardware and the Evocation of Nostalgia. Submitted to AEJMC, ESIG Division (accepted).
- Alfonsin, B. (2023). DrakeNier and the Twisting of Transmedia. Submitted to NCA, Game Studies Division (accepted).
Teaching Focus
- COMS 2230 Public Speaking
- COMS 3320 Media, Technology, and Society
- COMS 1301 Interpersonal Communication
- COMS 2310 Communication and Popular Culture
- COMS 3301 Communication Theory
Awards
- Distinguished Graduate Student
- Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award 2022
- Asst. Course Director of Public Speaking 2021-2022
College of Media & Communication
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Address
Texas Tech University, Box 43082, Lubbock, TX 79409 -
Phone
806.742.6500