# Gene Ball

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{{Short description|American computer science researcher}}
'''Gene Ball''' is a [computer science](/source/computer_science) researcher and computer programmer.

Ball obtained a bachelor's degree from the [University of Oklahoma](/source/University_of_Oklahoma), and attended [graduate school](/source/graduate_school) at the [University of Rochester](/source/University_of_Rochester), completing a [master's degree](/source/master's_degree) and finishing his [doctorate](/source/doctorate) in 1982. While at Rochester, he met [Rick Rashid](/source/Rick_Rashid), and together they created [Alto Trek](/source/Alto_Trek),<ref name="nytimes">{{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E7D91439F93BA15751C0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title= Serious About Research, Microsoft Makes Time for a Game|author=Markoff, John|work=[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)|date=2000-02-28|accessdate=2008-03-04}}</ref> one of the earlier networked multiplayer computer games.

In 1979, along with Rashid, Ball worked as a researcher [Carnegie Mellon University](/source/Carnegie_Mellon_University). In 1983, he left academia for two years, spending 1983 and 1984 designing software at [Formative Technologies](/source/Formative_Technologies). In 1985, he became an [assistant professor](/source/assistant_professor) at the [University of Delaware](/source/University_of_Delaware) at [Newark](/source/Newark%2C_Delaware).

From 1991 until 2001 he was a researcher at [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft), leading the Persona Project, which focused on developing lifelike computer characters that could conversationally interact with users.

==References==

*Contributor biography in ''Emotions in Humans and Artifacts'', by [Robert Trappl](/source/Robert_Trappl), [Paolo Petta](/source/Paolo_Petta), and Sabine Payr. {{ISBN|0-262-20142-9}}.

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ball, Gene}}
Category:University of Delaware faculty
Category:Microsoft employees
Category:University of Rochester alumni
Category:University of Oklahoma alumni
Category:Carnegie Mellon University faculty
Category:Living people
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

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