I am a Lecturer in Games Production having joined Abertay University in 2018. My research activity focuses mainly on the design, production, and evaluation of 'applied games' with particular sectoral interests in the third-sector, education, public engagement, health and wellbeing, and heritage and culture. I am interested in exploring new ways for game technologies to be developed, used, and understood in contexts beyond pure entertainment in response to their growing ubiquity in society.

I currently deliver teaching on modules centred in games research:

• in the design, development and evaluation of applied games in live contexts (Applied Games and Research Practice)
• in supporting independent undergraduate research in various game disciplines (Research Design for Games)
• in the evaluation of game quality and user research (Quality Assurance and User Research).

I completed my undergraduate degree in Game Design and Production Management at Abertay University in 2015. Following that, I achieved my PhD in applied game design from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2018. I achieved my Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in September 2020. I am a member of the AHRC Peer Review College (since 2022) and I am a member of the RSE Young Academy of Scotland (since 2024).

More information about my work and experience can be found on my website.

Undergraduate Teaching

• DES103: Quality Assurance and User Research
• DES403: Research Design for Games
• DES404: Honours Project (as supervisor)

Postgraduate Teaching

• DES511: Applied Games and Research Practice

Postgraduate Supervisions

• Completed:
  • Olena Saienko (PhD, 2023-2025)
  • Fraser Simpson (MbR, 2021-2023)
  • Vedant Sandare (MbR, 2019-2020)
• Current
  • Dylan Arnold (MbR, 2024-)
  • Dani McFawns (MbR, 2024-)
  • Akos Demuth (PhD, 2024-)
  • Gordon Brown (PhD, 2020-)

My research has focused on the design, development, and evaluation of applied games for a variety of contexts. My currently work involves collaboration with third sector organisations to explore the co-production of games that support their achievements of goals and objectives:

• CHAS Play is a curation of games developed by students in partnership with Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS): one such project, Boccia Champions, was awarded a Bronze Award at the Serious Play Conference 2019.
• CumbraeCraft is a heritage-themed game on the Minecraft Education platform designed for primary schoolchildren. The game was developed alongside a complete suite of lessons based on the discovery of local heritage of the Isle of Cumbrae in North Ayrshire, Scotland.
• Final Breath was developed in collaboration with Fife-based organisation BRAG Enterprises, with aims of addressing social inequalities and positive destinations towards the games industry. The result was a number of disadvantaged young people pursuing Further Education in games-related degrees and national recognition from YouthLink Scotland for its approach to Digital & STEM.
• A collaboration with YouthLink Scotland, DataKirk, and OYCI led to the publication of Game Design for Youth Work with two games - Dodge the Fog and Scales of Sorrow - developed using a youth-led approach.

I am actively interested in pursuing research opportunities in:

• games for third-sector and volunteer organisations;
• applied games in education;
• widening access to games industry (particularly for those from SIMD backgrounds);
• altruism in/from games;
• historical game analysis;
• games and sports cultures.

Memberships

RSE Young Academy of Scotland (2024-2029)

AHRC Peer Review College (2022-2025)

External Examinations

Academy of Contemporary Music, BA (Hons) Games Development and Futures (2022-2025)

Technological University Dublin, BA (Hons) Game Design (2018-2022)

I was STEM Ambassador from 2016-2023 and enjoyed volunteering for various school-based STEM activities such as public demonstrations, career presentations, and hands-on workshops related to game development. I am passionate about providing insight and advice to young people who may wish to consider a career in the games industry, particularly to those from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds.

Selected Public Engagements and Workshops

• Create something amazing!, Digital Youth Work Conference 2025 (Stirling, UK; workshop host)
• How and why games development matter in the world of youth work, Digital Youth Work Conference 2025 (Stirling, UK; panellist)
• Youth-led Research and Development, Mean[IN]gful Digital Inclusion (Leeds, UK; workshop host)
• Providing Pathways Through Youth Work and Game Development, Digital Youth Work Conference 2024 (Glasgow, UK; workshop host)
• Onboarding Accessibility Features in Videogames, RNIB Inclusive Design for Sustainability Conference 2023 (Glasgow, UK; speaker)
• Tribunal Révolutionnaire: Depicting Oppression and Upheaval in We. The Revolution, The Interactive Pasts Conference (TIPC) 3 (Leiden, Netherlands; speaker)
• CumbraeCraft, Games and Learning Alliance (GALA) Conference 2021 (virtual; exhibitor)
• Nostalgia and Applied Games, RSE Curious 2021 (virtual; speaker)
• More Than Playthings, RSE Curious 2020 (virtual; speaker)
• Applied Games, RSE @ Inverness Family Day (Inverness, UK; speaker)
• Applied Jam Framework, Jamology 2019 (Tampere, Finland; speaker)