Although much of our research at Tiltfactor aims to increase the representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), our work also shines a light on the importance of the liberal arts. The students who work at Tiltfactor come from a broad range of majors–from computer science to studio art to psychology–and it is through this intersection of STEM, humanities, and social sciences that we are able to create and study games that can foster social change.
Recent research conducted by Google has also highlighted the importance of the liberal arts. In analyzing what makes employees at Google particularly successful, technical skills (e.g., those you would learn in a computer science major) were at the bottom of the list. More important were the skills that students learn across the liberal arts, including critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. Taken together, Google’s research dovetails with what liberal arts colleges have known for a long time: the liberal arts are instrumental in teaching students how to critically examine the world around them and find creative solutions to problems.