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< Back Younès Rabii Queen Mary University of London iGGi PG Researcher Available for post-PhD position Younès is an awarded game designer and generative AI researcher. Their current research is concerned with the relationship between a game's rules, its narrative, and how to build AI systems that can understand these relationships, manipulate them, and invent new ones. Younès also has been a game developer for the past 10 years. They specialize in crafting new forms of play and making it accessible for their peers. Their work has been previously exposed in the French embassies and international conferences like the Game Developers Conference, the Gamedevs of Color Expo and the A MAZE Festival. A description of Younès' research: Younès' research goal is to bring to video games some of the most interesting properties of roleplaying games: their ability to trust every player with building a part of the game, and their ability to generate both new narrative and gameplay on the fly. Younès is working both on the AI techniques needed to allow that, and how to design the social spaces around those games in a way that won't hurt players or abuse creators. For the end of their PhD, Younès is designing a prototype in that new genre, counting among the first games to contain a form of Live Automated Game Design. yrabii.eggs@gmail.com Email Mastodon http://pyrofoux.itch.io/ Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/youn%C3%A8s-rabii-755717185/ LinkedIn BlueSky https://github.com/pyrofoux Github Supervisor(s): Dr Mike Cook Dr Jeremy Gow Featured Publication(s): " Hunt Takes Hare": Theming Games Through Game-Word Vector Translation Why Oatmeal is Cheap: Kolmogorov Complexity and Procedural Generation Revealing game dynamics via word embeddings of gameplay data Themes Creative Computing Design & Development Game AI - Previous Next

< Back Dr Jen Beeston University of York iGGi Alum + Supervisor Jen is currently working as a Lecturer in HCI in the Department of Computer Science (University of York) whilst writing up her PhD. She has a multidisciplinary background, from studying subjects such as environmental science and media production and having worked in various jobs such as grassland research, flood risk management, and plasterboard quality. She feels extraordinarily fortunate to have been able to do research into her lifelong hobby of playing digital games. In particular, Jen feels it is important that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy gaming should they wish. As such, her research has been aimed at exploring the experiences of people with disabilities in playing games, beyond how various technologies can support play. Jen’s research is focused particularly on the social experiences of players with disabilities in-game and within the broader gaming community. She has worked alongside the charity AbleGamers with the aims of investigating these player’s experiences of gaming, what effects alternative controls have upon play, and what it’s like for these players in multiplayer or online games. Jen is broadly interested in HCI, user experience, player experience, inclusivity, social play, and game communities. Outside of her work, she enjoys walking, thinking, reading, crochet, art, and tabletop roleplaying games. jen.beeston@york.ac.uk Email Mastodon Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenbeeston/ LinkedIn BlueSky Github Featured Publication(s): Validation and Prioritization of Design Options for Accessible Player Experiences Social experiences of people with disabilities in playing (in) accessible digital games Enabled players: The value of accessible digital games Accessible player experiences (APX): The players Characteristics and motivations of players with disabilities in digital games Perceptions of Telepresence Robot Form Themes Accessibility - Previous Next

< Back Connor Watts Queen Mary University of London iGGi PG Researcher I am a machine learning research engineer and software developer with commercial experience deploying and maintaining models for start-ups and larger organizations. I have experience researching and developing novel algorithms, as well as designing custom environments for application in domains such as combinatorial optimization, finance and games. c.watts@qmul.ac.uk Email Mastodon Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-watts-363354232/ LinkedIn BlueSky https://ConnorWatts.github.io Github Supervisor: Dr Paulo Rauber Themes Game AI - Previous Next

< Back Alex Flint University of York iGGi PG Researcher Available for placement Alex has an academic background in Psychology and Human-Computer Interaction. Their Master’s dissertation comparing measures of perceived challenge and demand in video games was published at CHI 2023. Alex has previously worked on the Research Operations team at PlaytestCloud and as a freelance Games User Researcher. They are also a Student Video Games Ambassador for UKIE, and regularly volunteer at conferences such as CHI Play and the GamesUR Summit. When they aren’t at their desk, you can find Alex figure skating, playing roller derby, or DJing 80’s rock. Alex’s research focuses on levelling up the narrative testing practices of indie video game developers. Narrative testing is a specialised games user research (GUR) practice that requires resources and knowledge not easily accessible to indie developers, meaning they are often disadvantaged compared to their larger AAA counterparts. Thus, Alex's work proposes the direct study of indie developers to level the playing field by democratising narrative testing best practices and empowering non-research team members to conduct GUR activities. Alex aims to achieve this goal by: 1) Defining narrative testing best practices. 2) Identifying key challenges indie developers face when evaluating narrative. 3) Co-designing and evaluating narrative testing prototype(s). 4) Assessing methods for disseminating GUR knowledge. The successful completion of this work will impact how indie studios conduct narrative testing, ultimately leading to the creation of better games. alex.flint@york.ac.uk Email Mastodon https://alexflint.tech Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlflint/ LinkedIn https://bsky.app/profile/alexlflint.bsky.social BlueSky Github Supervisor: Dr Alena Denisova Dr Jon Hook Featured Publication(s): Comparing Measures of perceived challenge and demand in video games: Exploring the conceptual dimensions of CORGIS and VGDS Faking handedness: Individual differences in ability to fake handedness, social cognitions of the handedness of others, and a forensic application using Bayes’ theorem Themes Design & Development Player Research - Previous Next

< Back Andrei Iacob University of Essex iGGi Alum Identifying Immersion in games using EEG and other measures (Industry placement at Sony SIE) The project aims to identify markers for immersion in player’s EEG signals. A few steps towards it include designing an experiment that reduces data noise and helps identify time frames for immersion during gameplay, recording EEG data among other “tests” to improve the accuracy of the state localization on a timeline. This research could prove useful for the games industry in a few ways: - it can provide tools for game testing (e.g. which parts of the game are immersive, which parts lack in that aspect) – thus making it easier to improve the game experience across the board; - it could also be used in making real-time adjustments to games (increase / decrease difficulty levels, pace, etc. to enhance the player’s immersion). Although the EEG data is the main focus of the project, it is not the only one. Correlations will be analyzed between different tests and in-game behaviors that should render even more information regarding the player’s state and mindset during gameplay. This information will be just as valuable and perhaps more readily available for widespread use in the near future. Andrei is a keen programmer and gamer. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science from the University of Essex. Andrei’s research interests are in the field of brain- computer interfaces and computer games. His hobbies include programming, gaming, guitar and skiing. Please note: Updating of profile text in progress Email Mastodon Other links Website LinkedIn BlueSky Github Themes Player Research - Previous Next

< Back Susanne Binder Queen Mary University of London iGGi Manager iGGi Admin iGGi Manager @ QMUL ; alongside David Hull (iGGi Manager @ UoY) , and supported by Shopna Begum , Helen Tilbrook and Oliver Roughton, she's mostly in charge of making things run at iGGi with particular focus on iGGi-QMUL-specific admin iGGi-QMUL-specific student concerns PR, website and social media industry liaison s.binder@qmul.ac.uk Email https://dizl.de/@sus4nn3b1nd3r/ Mastodon Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanne-binder-qmul/ LinkedIn https://bsky.app/profile/susannebinder.bsky.social BlueSky Github Themes - Previous Next

< Back Dr Debbie Maxwell University of York iGGi Research Collaboration Coordinator Supervisor Debbie is a lecturer in User Experience Design and Interactive Media at the Department of Theatre, Film and Television. Her background spans computing, HCI and Design and she currently teaches user experience (UX) design and design methods and critical design on the BSc Interactive Media programme. Her research focuses on the roles of traditional storytelling and engagement in digital contexts. I’m interested in the ways that people interact with and reshape technology through stories, as both method and artefacts, and across media. She is particularly focuses on applying design and stories across health and wellbeing and environmental design drawing on speculative design processes and approaches. Debbie uses interdisciplinary approaches that draw on a range of fields including Human Computer Interaction (HCI), ethnography, interaction design, social anthropology, and service design. Her research always involves working with communities using participatory methods. She is particularly interested in supervising students with a design or HCI background on the following topics: design of applied games for environmental education or knowledge exchange design and application of serious games to mental health and wellbeing contexts design and application of serious games to outdoor spaces, particularly cultural heritage settings Research themes: Games with a Purpose User experience design Design methods and ethnography Speculative design debbie.maxwell@york.ac.uk Email Mastodon Other links Website LinkedIn BlueSky Github Themes Applied Games Design & Development Player Research - Previous Next

< Back Lauren Winter University of York iGGi PG Researcher Lauren was introduced to gaming from an early age when they received a PlayStation One as a gift. From there, video games became a huge part of their life, exploring new worlds through the eyes of a vast array of characters. Following their undergraduate degree in Psychology with Sociology, they completed their MSc in Psychology Research Methods at the University of Nottingham. A fascination with looking for trends in data and creating complex spreadsheets in Excel led them to a job analysing student information in a school, where they also ran four Esports teams competing across three games. Their research interests primarily focus on player research in team-based PVP games and looking at players’ awareness of each other in these environments. A description of Lauren's research: Lauren’s research investigates the differences in human-human and human-AI interaction in team-based digital games. Simultaneous combinations of competitive and cooperative play are found in many high grossing games, such as Call of Duty and League of Legends. These games provide environments for players to play with strangers, friends, and AI, and elicit social presence, a term used to describe the awareness of others in a digital environment. Lauren’s research will focus on two types of social presence: cooperative presence and competitive presence. Despite the popularity of these games, little is known about the juncture between the two and the effects they have on player experience. Due to the increasing inclusion of AI in daily life, including the gaming space, investigating these effects will have implications for future research in team-based digital games, as well as in the creation of AI that works with and against users. Through the development of a bespoke game, created in Unity, Lauren will investigate how people work together and against other players and AI, identifying aspects of the AI that can be manipulated into better player experiences and more enjoyable games. lauren.winter@york.ac.uk Email Mastodon Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-winter-/ LinkedIn BlueSky Github Supervisor: Prof. Paul Cairns Featured Publication(s): "Leave our kids alone!": Exploring Concerns Reported by Parents in 1-star Reviews Better Dead than a Damsel: Gender Representation and Player Churn Themes Design & Development Player Research - Previous Next

< Back Ross Fifield University of York iGGi PG Researcher Available for placement I am a user-centred games designer and researcher with a background in both practical and theoretical dimensions of play. I hold a BA and MA in Games Design from Falmouth University and have recently been engaged in teaching further and higher education courses in games development. My work sits at the intersection of design innovation, player psychology, and emerging technology, with a particular focus on how people find, engage with, and sustain play in social contexts. Currently undertaking a PhD as part of the iGGi programme, my research investigates the social and psychological factors that influence whether and how individuals choose to play with others. I aim to develop actionable insights that reduce barriers to engagement, support better player matchmaking, and encourage more inclusive and sustainable multiplayer experiences. I am particularly interested in live data applications and their potential to inform adaptive matchmaking systems and enhance game discovery. My practice draws from speculative and disruptive design methodologies, with a commitment to developing future-proof solutions that benefit academic, educational, and commercial communities alike. I maintain professional interests in affective psychology and digital heritage. As a player, I take an agnostic approach to genre, though I have a particular affinity for First Person Shooters, MMOs, sandbox games, and live-action roleplay. I am seeking placement opportunities with studios and organisations that are open to collaboration on live, data-driven projects focused on social play, player engagement, matchmaking and game discovery. My goal is to contribute meaningfully to real-world game development while refining methodologies that support more empathetic, inclusive, and dynamic player experiences. ross.fifield@york.ac.uk Email https://bsky.app/profile/rossfifield.bsky.social Mastodon http://www.rossfifield.com Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossfifield/ LinkedIn https://bsky.app/profile/rossfifield.bsky.social BlueSky Github Supervisors: Dr Joe Cutting Prof. Paul Cairns Themes Player Research https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yVD-7mRlk4 Previous Next

< Back Dr Ildar Farkhatdinov Queen Mary University of London Supervisor Dr Ildar Farkhatdinov is a Lecturer in Robotics at QMUL since 11/2016 and a Turing Institute Fellow. He is an internationally leading expert in assistive robotics and human-machine interaction. He is a principle investigator of several projects on wearable robotics, mobility assistance and haptic interfaces (including funding from the UK government on supernumerary robotic limbs and assistive wheelchairs, £500k+). Several of his research works were recognised as the best paper or finalists for best paper awards at leading robotics conferences. Before joining QMUL, he was a postdoctoral research associate at the Human Robotics group of the Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London (2013-16). He earned Ph.D. in Robotics in 2013 (Sorbonne University, UPMC, France), M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering in 2008 (KoreaTech, South Korea) and B.Sc. in Automation and Control in 2006 (Moscow University, Russia). He has actively collaborated on a number of large-scale research projects: EPSRC NCNR to create novel robotic solutions for the nuclear industry; EU FP7 BALANCE to develop balance and robotic walking assistance for the elderly; EU FP7 SYMBITRON to develop exoskeleton control for people with spinal cord injury. My research interest relevant to CDT IGGI include serious games for medical applications, as well as using game theory to investigate human-machine interaction. Research themes: Game Design Serious games Virtual reality Game theory i.farkhatdinov@qmul.ac.uk Email Mastodon https://hair-robotics.qmul.ac.uk Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/ildar-farkhatdinov-33075016 LinkedIn BlueSky Github Themes Design & Development Game AI Immersive Technology Player Research - Previous Next

< Back Dr Evelyn Tan University of York iGGi Alum Evelyn holds a master’s degree in Industrial-Organisational Psychology from University College London (UCL) and has previously worked in the HR Technology industry where she undertook projects on game-based assessment, virtual team coaching and virtual reality (VR) hiring and training. She has published her work on developing trust in virtual work teams at CHI PLAY 2019, a premier conference for games research. On the Emergence and Development of Team Cohesion in Newly Formed Virtual Teams Evelyn specialises in teamwork and team dynamics. She is interested in uncovering how cohesion emerges and develops, and to identify its predictors. Her goal is to understand how to build high-performing teams that make people want to stay and remain united in the pursuit of their shared objectives. Under IGGI, she studies virtual teams in competitive esport games, specifically newly formed ad hoc teams. By applying theories and principles from psychology, her work can be extended to address the challenges faced by real-world teams with similar characteristics, for example emergency response teams and short-term project teams. By studying team cohesion – its emergence and development – her work addresses the broader challenges of building high-performing teams which retain their members. Please note: Updating of profile text in progress Email Mastodon https://sites.google.com/view/evelyntan Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelyntisiantan/ LinkedIn BlueSky https://github.com/ett506 Github Featured Publication(s): Communication Sequences Indicate Team Cohesion: A Mixed-Methods Study of Ad Hoc League of Legends Teams Less is More: Analysing Communication in Teams of Strangers Trusted Teammates: Commercial Digital Games Can Be Effective Trust-Building Tools Themes Esports Player Research - Previous Next

< Back Amy Smith Queen Mary University of London iGGi PG Researcher Available for post-PhD position After completing a BA in Fine Art, at Bath School of Art and Design, Amy spent some years as a tattoo artist travelling and creating artworks. An interest in learning to code then led her to complete a conversion Masters degree in Computer Science at the University of Birmingham. Keen to preserve her interests in both a creative practice as well as a new interest in generative deep learning, Amy joined the IGGI program to explore these interests further under the guidance of Dr. Mike Cook, Dr. James Walker and Prof. Simon Colton. Amy's research is currently focused on the intersection between 'imaginative play', computational creativity and generative deep learning. This project explores whether the kind of novel text, image and video media produced by generative deep learning algorithms can be used to provoke and stimulate the imaginative, ideation and visualisation capabilities of the user as they interact with this cutting edge technology. To date, her work has been accepted to several conferences, including the International Conference on Computational Social Science, AAAI, the International Conference on Computational Creativity, and EvoMusArt. Amy hopes to further encourage and explore the fruits of a close collaboration between human creativity and creative AI. amyelizabethsmith01@gmail.com Email Mastodon http://aialchemy.media.mit.edu Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-smith-791784173 LinkedIn BlueSky Github Supervisors: Dr Mike Cook Prof. Simon Colton Dr James Walker Featured Publication(s): Scaling Analysis of Creative Activity Traces via Fuzzy Linkography Fuzzy Linkography: Automatic Graphical Summarization of Creative Activity Traces AI-Generated Imagery: A New Era for the 'Readymade' The @artbhot Text-To-Image Twitter Bot. Trash to Treasure: Using text-to-image models to inform the design of physical artefacts Clip-guided gan image generation: An artistic explorationClip-guided gan image generation: An artistic exploration Art and the science of generative AI Generative Search Engines: Initial Experiments Themes Creative Computing Player Research - Previous Next