Valentina Rao is an independent scholar and designer at Factory Girl, tiny production company of games and other playable products (link www.factorygirl.org). She also blogs about women and games at the Factory Blog.
Currently between institutions, her former education includes Film Studies at the University of Bologna, Ethnology at Paris 7-Jussieu and two years of PhD studies in Anthropology of Communications at the Ecole Normale Superieure in Lyon.
Aside academic interests, her professional background as a scriptwriter and director in independent cinema, Imax cinema, theatre and since 2003 as a student and designer for interactive narrative, iTV and finally cross media, testify of a lifelong interest in storytelling. Her latest research focuses on the role of play and game in cross media storytelling and a better definition of the cross media “experience”. She is waiting for an opportunity to continue her PhD studies in a suitable institution. In the meanwhile she works in charity organisations, goes horseriding, and develops strategies for sustainable living.