ABOUT BEN

Dr. Ben Vollmer is a published researcher, writer, creator, and an award-winning instructor. He has a passion for creative work, particularly where computer science meets communication and media effects. For a full list of his publications, please scroll to the bottom of the resume.

EDUCATION

Doctorate of Philosophy - Media Technology

University of Florida, 3.94 GPA | Gainesville, FL | August 2025

Master of Arts in Mass Communication

University of Florida, 3.93 GPA | Gainesville, FL | August 2021

Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication

University of North Florida, Cum Laude | Jacksonville, FL | May 2015

Skills

Top Skills

Mixed-methods research, employment of quantitative and qualitative methodologies

Research and audience analysis skills (SPSS/R)

Survey development and design (Qualtrics)

Documentation and analysis of thousands/millions of rows of data (SQL/Excel)

Managing and marketing resources (Mailchimp/Discord)

Data visualization skills (Tableau)

Understanding of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) hardware

Post-production editing (Photoshop/Premiere/Audition)

Stimuli development and management for research

Animation skills (After Effects/Illustrator)

Narrative design, in interactive (games) and traditional formats (film/television)

Presentations and community leadership (Powerpoint/Presi/Google Slides/Canva)

Content creation for social media (TikTok/Twitch/Reddit/Bluesky/X)

Other Skills

Fluency in coding and programming (Python/C++/HTML)

Animation skills in 3D (Houdini/Blender)

Application design software (Figma/Bubble/Flutter)

Navigation and development in various operating systems (Windows/Linux/MacOS)

On-set videography and camerawork

Organization and brand management (Craft/Google Drive)

STEM translational work, helping communicate difficult to understand concepts

Syllabi development and higher-education course creation

Experience

Researcher

University of Florida| Gainesville, FL | 2021 - Present

  • Designing and analyzed survey-based and experimental studies to evaluate engagement and brand perception

  • Interpreting quantitative performance data using SPSS, R, Tableau, Python, and Excel to identify communication trends

  • Conducting in-depth research on social media behavior, advertising effectiveness, and digital persuasion

  • Collaborating cross-functionally with faculty to refine messaging, integrate feedback, and produce high-quality publications

  • Developing data visualizations (Tableau) and reporting materials to translate complex findings into accessible insights

  • Conducting narrative and emergent qualitative work, such as ethnographies, conducting focus groups, and interviews

  • Monitoring emerging trends in artificial intelligence and media technologies to inform forward-thinking communication strategies

  • Utilizing Python for data cleaning, preprocessing, and statistical analysis to interpret large datasets and extract actionable insights

  • Developing scripts in Python to automate data analysis workflows, improving efficiency in research reporting

  • Presenting at large conferences in both academic and industry settings, including the International Communication Association (ICA), E3, TwitchCon, and American Culture Association

Creator

Serve as a development lead for a mobile application / game titled Stardle (2026), using programming software Flutter

  • Helped develop the project concept, where players guess well-known public figures via selective hints and clues

Developed Epilogue Gaming (Present), a website and community that stresses the importance of video games as cornerstone for interactive storytelling

  • Manage a Patreon account with over 100 members

  • Write regular community updates and reflections called the "Epilogue Journal”

  • Helped manage the site to over 10,000 unique viewers a month

  • Built and executed integrated digital marketing strategies across website, social media, and email platforms (Mailchimp), growing readership to 20,000+ monthly unique visitors

  • Oversaw content calendar planning, social media scheduling (Buffer) to increase visibility and community interaction

  • Managed digital asset production using Adobe Creative Cloud for advertisements and email marketing materials

  • Coordinated with contributors, external partners, and vendors to execute marketing initiatives and maintain brand consistency

  • Tracked audience engagement metrics and campaign performance data to refine messaging strategy and improve effectiveness

  • Developed a three-hour award show complete with guest speakers, animations, and interactive scripts

Achieved Twitch Partner (2023) through developing a community of thousands of viewers and followers and have continued to evolve as a content creator (2026)

  • Built and sustained an engaged online community as a Twitch Partner, producing live content for a diverse, global audience

  • Developed and executed cross-platform content strategies blending short-form and long-form media to maximize engagement

  • Created promotional and branded multimedia assets using Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop)

  • Monitored stream analytics and engagement metrics to refine content strategy, optimize scheduling, and increase viewer interaction

  • Managed real-time audience engagement during live broadcasts, strengthening brand voice consistency and community loyalty

  • Coordinated event-style live streams and collaborative content initiatives requiring scheduling, logistics, and platform management

Developed The Last Word(2024), a textual role-playing game designed for large-system simulation and hundreds of players using machine learning

Served as a featured freelance writer, reviewer, and editor for IGN (2023)

  • Wrote feature articles that eclipsed over 1,000,000 total readers and watchers

  • Developed and cut footage for videos that have reached 500,000 and 750,000 viewers on YouTube

  • Worked with an editing team to deliver reviews on several of the most popular video games in the world

INSTRUCTOR

Serve as an instructor for the University of Florida (Present), developing original coursework, serving 80+ students a semester, and actively participating in the department of Media Production, Management, & Technology.

  • Teach a three-hour course, RTV 4591 “Applications of Mobile Tech,” a UI/UX design course where students learn to develop applications and use mobile technology to create

    • Moved the course, which was traditionally online only, to in-person

    • Developed the syllabus to match modern expectations for UI/UX design

  • Teach a three-hour course, RTV 3101 “Fiction and Nonfiction Screenwriting,” an advanced writing course for writing fictional, non-fictional, and interactive scripts

    • Won the Calvin A. VanderWerf award for teaching innovation and engagement

  • Teach a three-hour course, RTV 4800 “Management & Strategy Capstone,” a new-wave approach to problem solving and case work in the field of emerging digital media

    • Develop & manage student case studies for audience analytics/distribution

  • Lab instructor for an intensive writing course, “Writing for Electronic Media,” with a focus on student social media writing and branding

    • Help students develop their online brands in spaces such as LinkedIn

    • Teach a wide variety of writing methodologies for emerging forms of media

  • Teach an online-only Digital Games course that discusses game studies, game development, and gamification

    • Manage online coursework through Canvas

    • Help develop the curriculum and infrastructure for the course

Publications and writing

Published & Completed Research

Son, Rachel., Yang, Q., Vollmer, B., Johnson, B.K. (2025). Engaging with Bot Narratives: The Audience Experience and Perceptions of Machine Script Writers. Poetics, 113, 102057.

Vollmer, B. T. (2025). Rethinking Social Media Affordances: An Examination of Communal Engagement on Discord., Dissertation project developed at the University of Florida.

Vollmer, B. (2021) Twitch and the Transition to the Digital Third Place, Thesis work developed at the University of Florida under Dr. Yu-Hao Lee.

Lee, S. S., Vollmer, B. T., Yue, C. A., & Johnson, B. K. (2021). Impartial endorsements: Influencer and celebrity declarations of non-sponsorship and honesty. Computers in Human Behavior, 122, 106858.

In Progress

Vollmer, B., et. al, Generative AI at the Center of the Storm: Content and Reception Differences in Machine- and Journalist-Written Hurricane News. Near submission, presenting at ICA 2026.

Vollmer, B.  Digital Affordances in Video Game Environments. Data collection stage.

Vollmer, B. & Xiatong Yu, Zepto Influencers and Affiliate Marketing Campaigns. Pre-test completed. 

Vollmer, B. The Effect of NIL Disclosure on Brand Attitudes. Pre-test completed.

Johnson, B. K., Vollmer, B., Sharma, B., Sun, R.. Intrinsic Need Compensation Versus Moral Compensation Through Experiencing Narrative Characters. Pre-test completed.

Vollmer, B., et. al. Personalities, posts, and products on Instagram and Tiktok. Post-content analysis.


Vollmer, B. The Prevalence of Third Places in American Sitcoms. Literature review.

OTher Publications and Writing

Vollmer, Ben. “NBA 2K24 for Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 Review” IGN, 2023.

Vollmer, Ben“Dark Souls, Depression, and Difficulty Settings.” Epilogue Gaming, 2019.

Vollmer, Ben. “Once Again, the Annual Hope Fund Campaign Will Highlight Those In Need.” The Florida Times Union, 2015.