ASEF Young Minds Lecture by Ema Odra Raščan – Why We Need Cybersecurity Geogames

On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, the ASEF Young Minds series featured a lecture by Ema Odra Raščan, PhD candidate in American Studies at the University of Ljubljana, advisor at the Slovenian Ministry of Defence, and 2024 ASEF Fellow. The event was organized by ASEF in collaboration with the Student Association for International Relations – Globallis, where Ema formerly served as president (2018–2019).

Titled “Why We Need Cybersecurity Geogames: Serious Games for Serious Threats,” the lecture explored the intersection of cybersecurity, education, technology, and international relations.

Ema began by sharing her experience as an ASEF Fellow during her research visit at Iowa State University, where she worked under the mentorship of Prof. Alenka Krek Poplin. She also introduced the research team she collaborates with: Prof. Aaron Yang, David Schwartz (Rochester Institute of Technology), and Prof. Poplin.

The main part of the lecture focused on key concepts such as serious games, gamification, and especially geogames—games that incorporate geographic and spatial data to simulate real-world crises. Ema explained how these tools allow users to experience complex scenarios like cyberattacks, natural disasters, or geopolitical threats in a risk-free and educational environment.

She presented several case studies of cybersecurity-related games, including CyberCIEGE, Targeted Attacks Game, PicoCTF, as well as serious games used by international organizations and the military, such as Stop Disasters and Jack Voltaic.

A special emphasis was placed on the role of games in cyber diplomacy. Ema highlighted the U.S. State Department’s recent initiative to establish an Office of Diplomatic Gaming, aimed at preparing diplomats for real-world crises ranging from armed conflict to disinformation campaigns.

Her key message: serious games grounded in spatial thinking and immersive simulation hold transformative potential as tools for education, government, and crisis response. As she concluded, “Learning in serious games must come through experience—not explanation.”

The event concluded with an engaging Q&A and informal discussion with the speaker

This project is supported by the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Youth and the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad.