Jonathan Gratch
Jonathan Gratch researches affective computing, virtual humans and human-agent negotiation. He earned his Illinois doctorate in 1995 and worked at USC’s Information Sciences Institute before joining its Institute for Creative Technologies in 2000. His shared research includes the EMA appraisal-dynamics model with Stacy Marsella and an IAGO negotiation-agent demonstration with Johnathan Mell. AAAI elected him a Fellow in 2014. His work includes computational models of social interaction, and he planned a move to Vanderbilt in fall 2026.
- Works
- 587
- Citations
- 17,915
- h-index
- 62
Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 14 October 2026.
Timeline
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1995–2000
Learning, planning and virtual humans
Gratch earned his Illinois computer-science doctorate in June 1995 and worked at USC’s Information Sciences Institute from August 1995 to June 2000. That work included real-time planning, cooperative agents and behavioral modeling. He then joined the Institute for Creative Technologies in June 2000.
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2009
A computational model of emotion
Gratch and Stacy Marsella published EMA: A Process Model of Appraisal Dynamics in 2009. Their approach turns psychological theories into computational models that can be examined and manipulated.
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2014–2016
Recognition and negotiation agents
AAAI elected Gratch a Fellow in 2014. Gratch and Johnathan Mell published a 2016 IAGO demonstration paper on an interactive online arbitration guide. Their work also addresses broader human-agent negotiation research.
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As of October 2026
Research on social interaction
Gratch studies virtual training environments, verbal and nonverbal interaction, emotion modeling and rapport. He planned a move to Vanderbilt in fall 2026.
Sources and credits
Photo: people.ict.usc.edu; creator not stated. License: Not stated by source. Source: people.ict.usc.edu. Cropped to a square and resized. Ask us to remove or replace this photo.