Ryan Regala

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My Work

Climate Games — Serious Games for Global Impact

An educational game developed at the Qualcomm Institute focused on climate awareness and player engagement. Built collaboratively with a 10 person team using Unreal Engine 5. Currently in development as an internal UCSD project.

My Contributions:

  • Implemented a UI widget displaying real-time XP gain notifications (e.g. +100 XP) with logic to switch to a level up state when XP exceeds the maximum threshold
  • Built Blueprint logic managing the full widget lifecycle including creation, animation, and destruction
  • Currently developing level progression logic triggered when XP exceeds the maximum threshold
  • Unreal Engine 5
  • Blueprints
  • C++
  • UI Design
XP Widget Blueprint Logic GetText Logic for XP Display

Habitat Defenders

A tower defense game where native California species defend their ecosystem against invasive threats. Built collaboratively with a team of 5 during the Neurodiversity in Tech internship program at the Qualcomm Institute.

My Contributions:

  • Designed the level UI and shop interface, including button layout and tower selection elements
  • Built the foundation of the Almanac screen, a browsable species encyclopedia with a detail panel
  • Integrated Creative Commons licensed voice audio to enhance gameplay immersion
  • Implemented an FPS display for real-time performance monitoring
  • Conducted QA testing through play-testing and coordinating external beta testers
  • C#
  • Unity
  • QA Testing
  • UI Design
Habitat Defenders Screenshot

LeBron James Shooting Accuracy Analysis

My first data analysis project — an exploration of LeBron James' shooting accuracy across various metrics. Built independently to learn Python and data visualization for the first time.

What I learned:

  • Data cleaning and computation using Pandas
  • Data visualization using Seaborn and Matplotlib
  • Applying recursive functions and pass-by-reference techniques to optimize code
  • Python
  • Pandas
  • Matplotlib
  • Seaborn
View Source Code →
LeBron Data Project

Teaching & Mentorship

I enjoy supporting learning through peer collaboration and instructional demonstrations. I focus on breaking down programming concepts into clear, step-by-step processes that are easy for beginners to follow.

Teaching Portfolio

About Me

I am a senior at UC San Diego studying Cognitive Science with a specialization in Design and Interaction, graduating in June 2026.

My interest in game development grew naturally from two things I've always loved: playing video games since I was a kid, and discovering through community college that coding was something I could actually do and enjoy. Compared to Physics and Math, coding felt more creative and immediately useful. What I enjoy most is the collaborative side, some of my best learning has come from working alongside teammates, bouncing ideas off each other, and figuring things out together.

I build interactive experiences through game development and UI design, with hands-on experience in Unity and Unreal Engine 5 through internships at the Qualcomm Institute and Neurodiversity in Tech.

Outside of tech I'm a classically trained trumpet player. I've performed paid gigs, marched the 2023 Rose Parade as a herald trumpet, and play with ensembles at UC San Diego. Music has shaped how I think about precision, timing, and the emotional impact of experiences.

I believe interactive experiences, designed thoughtfully, can reach learners that traditional approaches leave behind. That intersection of game development, cognitive science, and education is where I want to build my career.

My Resume
Ryan Regala

Get In Touch

Feel free to reach out if you'd like to collaborate or learn more about my work.

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