Dr. Daniel Hawes

Dr. Dan Hawes is a writer, producer, academic researcher, and technology entrepreneur. Over the past 25 years, he and his team have created and produced twelve animated TV series (350+ episodes), over fifty games, and nine movies with broadcast coverage in over 120 countries. In 1997, he co-created Chilly Beach, an Internet TV series that lays claim as one of the first web properties in North America to make the jump to network TV (Web 1997 to CBC 2003). In 2003, he founded March Entertainment (rebranded as Toonrush in 2013) forming one of Canada’s leading animation and gaming studios. Dan and his team continue to produce content with a focus on AI and Virtual Reality based applications for education, games, and virtual commerce. They have been delivering university courses in fully immersive VR since 2021 with their virtual university software, (campusvr.net). Dan has previously founded and sold two Internet companies.

Dan is an adjunct professor in the School of Information Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Design, at Carleton University. His current research explores the design of Virtual Reality learning experiences to reduce racial barriers and create positive psychological effects. He also teaches courses related to game design, digital storytelling, and managing creative companies at Toronto Metropolitan University and Carleton University. He holds a Bachelor of Mgmt. Science, Honours, Mgmt.; Information Systems from the University of Ottawa, Master of Digital Experience Innovation from the University of Waterloo, and Ph.D. in Information Technology, from Carleton University focused on the design of VR-based learning experiences to reduce anxiety and optimize student cognition.

Dan’s recent novel, Just Virtual: The Billion Dollar Metaverse Challenge: Making Sense of Virtual reality and the metaverse brings together his passion for technology innovation, learning, and digital storytelling. You can find out more about the topic from his weekly Metaverse podcast at justvirtual.com, commencing October 2023 where he interviews researchers and leaders of AI, VR, Gaming, Metaverse, and all things virtual.