Ray joins the institute after working at places such as the Columbia Center for New Media Teaching & Learning, Viacom, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute and mostly recently the design and concept firm AvroKO. His research interests include the interplay between culture and technology, educational technology, user experience, design process, and the design of games and toys. Ray studied engineering and public policy as an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University and holds a masters from New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program.