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< Back Nirit Binyamini Ben Meir Queen Mary University of London iGGi PG Researcher Available for placement Nirit Binyamini Ben-Meir is a designer/ artist based in London. Her work explores the interconnection between society, technology and ecology. She is an Associate Lecturer at the Royal College of Art London, where she gained her MA in Information Experience Design. She has a professional background in visual communication and interaction design. She uses participatory installations, digital tools and responsive plants to create experiences for humans to interact with their biosphere. She combines ecological systems with technology to challenge human perception and provoke thought about bioethics, power relations, and the Anthropocene implications. Nirit’s main research interests are around More-Than-Human Interactions and the integration of living organisms into digital interactions. She investigates how these hybrid interactions may help mediate relatable, sensory experiences with plants and influence people's attitudes towards ecological stewardship. She is developing the Bio-Digital Garden concept, which combines computational elements and living moss, a responsive plant that gives qualitative visual feedback to changes in its environment in real-time. Her exploration focuses on the potential of using human-computer-plant to identify current weak points in pro-environmental behaviour and care for non-human entities, as well as influence people's perceived accountability through tangible feedback, bridging time-scale gaps, and generating a sense of urgency. n.binyaminiben-meir@qmul.ac.uk Email Mastodon https://niritbin.com/ Other links Website LinkedIn BlueSky Github Supervisors: Prof. Sebastian Deterding Featured Publication(s): Domestic Cultures of Plant Care: A Moss Terrarium Probe Experience as a transformational practice Design Methods for Accessing the Pluriverse Forging new narratives Themes Applied Games Creative Computing Design & Development - Previous Next

< Back Gorm Lai Goldsmiths iGGi PG Researcher Inspired by the works of Karl Sims and William Latham as well games such as a Spore and No Man's Sky, Gorm's main work is focused on using artificial intelligence and machine learning to generate creatures for use in video games. Combining this with his background as a virtual reality pioneer, his full doctorate is looking into how mixed-initiative co-creative interfaces in vr can assist in creating procedural generated creatures for use in video games. As a stalwart of the game development community, Gorm ran the Danish chapter of the International Game Developer Association (IGDA) for 5 years, started the London Indie Game Developers meetup group which currently features almost 3000 members, co-founded the Nordic Game Jam, as well as the Global Game Jam. The Global Game Jam has been recorded into the Guinness Book of World Records, and has more participating countries than the Winter Olympics. Gorm is a games industry veteran who has worked on 17 commercial video games since 2004, and has spoken at numerous games industry conferences such as GDC, Nordic Game & Develop Brighton. Gorm is a student at Goldsmiths, University of London, where is he is supervised by William Latham and Frederic Fol Leymarie. lai.gorm@gmail.com Email Mastodon https://gormlai.github.io Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/gormlai/ LinkedIn BlueSky https://github.com/gormlai Github Supervisor(s): Prof. William Latham Featured Publication(s): Formal Constraints and Creativity: Connecting Game Jams, Dogma ’95, the Demo Scene, OuBaPo, and Renga poets What Is a Game Jam? The Dark Side of Game Jams On Mixed-Initiative Content Creation for Video Games Two decades of game jams Virtual Creature Morphology‐A Review Towards Friendly Mixed Initiative Procedural Content Generation: Three Pillars of Industry Introducing: the game jam license Trends in organizing philosophies of game jams and game hackathons The global game jam for teaching and learning Gplayer A compression method for spectral photon map rendering Themes Creative Computing Design & Development Game AI - Previous Next

< Back Prof. Matthew Purver Queen Mary University of London Supervisor Matthew Purver is Professor of Computational Linguistics, and leader of QMUL’s Computational Linguistics Laboratory. His research has covered many aspects of natural language processing (NLP), with a £4m grant portfolio including projects on fundamental techniques like cross-lingual processing and incremental language understanding, and applications to news media, social media analysis and mental health diagnosis. His work has been covered by the Guardian, Telegraph, Independent, LA Times, NBC and Scientific American, among others. He is also a senior researcher at the Jožef Stefan Institute, Slovenia, and in 2011 he co-founded the company Chatterbox Labs Ltd. He is interested in supervising students with a background in NLP, linguistics or machine learning and an interest in analysis or generation of natural language. Research themes: Language in Games Game AI Computational Creativity m.purver@qmul.ac.uk Email Mastodon https://www.eecs.qmul.ac.uk/~mpurver/ Other links Website LinkedIn BlueSky Github Themes Creative Computing Game AI - Previous Next

< Back Dr Patrik Huber University of York Supervisor Patrik Huber is a researcher, developer and entrepreneur, working on 3D face reconstruction and face analysis in images and videos using 3D face models. He is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Computer Vision in the Department of Computer Science of the University of York, UK, and he’s the Founder of 4dface.io, a small start-up specialising in 3D face models and realistic 3D face avatars for professional applications. His research is focused on computer vision, in particular, he is interested in the question of how to robustly obtain a metrically accurate, pose-invariant 3D representation of a face from 2D images and videos. He is interested in face tracking, 3D face modelling, analysis and synthesis, metrically accurate 3D face shape reconstruction, inverse rendering, and combining deep learning with 3D face models. Patrik is particularly interested in supervising students with a strong background and interest in computer vision, machine learning, computer graphics, and modern C++/Python, on topics related to creating 3D face avatars of players for immersive playing and social experiences , and using face analytics for professional e-sports . Research themes: 3D face avatars for games AR/VR Serious games and social interaction Immersive 3D player experiences Game Analytics Games with a Purpose E-Sports patrik.huber@york.ac.uk Email Mastodon https://www.patrikhuber.ch/ Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrik-huber/ LinkedIn BlueSky https://github.com/patrikhuber Github Themes Applied Games Esports Game Data Immersive Technology 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 Previous Next

< Back Karl Clarke Queen Mary University of London iGGi PG Researcher Available for placement Karl Clarke is a PhD researcher focused on how virtual environments influence social interaction. He was born in England, grew up in the Middle East, and returned to the UK for university. He holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Audio Technology. During the COVID-19 lockdown, he began exploring virtual reality after getting access to a headset, which led to a shift in focus toward social VR. He is now part of the Intelligent Games and Game Intelligence (iGGi) doctoral programme, where his research looks at how spatial layouts and group behavior are shaped by virtual environments in free-standing social settings. Outside of his research, Karl runs SONAR, a music group hosted in VRChat that uses social VR for live performance and shared listening experiences. Through this project, he has independently learned game development skills in 3D modelling, scripting, and a small amount of graphics programming. He is currently looking to collaborate with VR studios or social platforms working on immersive and social experiences. karl.clarke@qmul.ac.uk Email Mastodon https://linktr.ee/llamahat Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-clarke-york/ LinkedIn https://bsky.app/profile/llamahat.bsky.social BlueSky Github Supervisors: Themes Design & Development Immersive Technology Player Research Previous Next

< Back Steph Carter University of York iGGi PG Researcher Available for placement Steph is a psycholinguistics graduate from the University of York with a background in language teaching and SEND teaching. Their research focuses on second language acquisition, human-computer interaction, and gamification. Their research interests also include accessibility in games, disability representation, and games with a purpose. Outside of research, they have worked as a freelance accessibility consultant and occasionally take part in game jams with their colleagues. Steph’s project explores how game design can improve participants’ experiences in second language learning experiments while still enabling the collection of high-quality, controlled data. Although games and gamification are increasingly used in educational contexts, particularly for language learning, their potential in experimental design for second language acquisition research remains underexplored. This project investigates how incorporating game elements into psycholinguistic tasks can impact the participant experience and maintain data quality. The findings aim to inform the design and development of gamified data collection tools for both language learning and cognitive research, while also providing some practical guidance for researchers interested in gamifying their experimental methods. steph.carter@york.ac.uk Email Mastodon https://linktr.ee/steph_carter Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/steph-carter-742891123/ LinkedIn BlueSky Github Supervisor(s): Dr Abi Evans Themes Accessibility Applied Games Design & Development Game Data Player Research - Previous Next

< Back Dr Henrik Siljebråt Goldsmiths iGGi Alum Henrik has a background in IT/DevOps and a Masters in Cognitive Science from Lund University. Based on established neurobiological correlates of reinforcement learning (RL), I investigate animal learning and decision making using cognitive modeling techniques, such as probabilistic programming and machine learning. Animals somehow manage to create useful representations of incoming sensory information, representations then used for learning and decision making. How these representations of states of the world are integrated into task structure and models of the world is an open question, which I investigate using behavioural experiments with humans and bumblebees and modelling said behaviour using RL combined with hidden state models for representing states and task structure. The potential findings of these experiments have promise to not only elucidate the workings of the animal brain but also provide valuable contributions to artificial intelligence, where improved models of state representations could vastly improve data efficiency and generalizability over current generation systems. Please note: Updating of profile text in progress h.siljebrat@gold.ac.uk Email Mastodon https://henrik.siljebrat.se Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrik-siljebrat LinkedIn BlueSky https://github.com/fohria Github Featured Publication(s): On State Representations and Behavioural Modelling Methods in Reinforcement Learning The Effect of State Representations in Sequential Sensory Prediction: Introducing the Shape Sequence Task Towards human-like artificial intelligence using StarCraft 2 Themes - Previous Next

< Back Dr Gaetano Dimita Queen Mary University of London Supervisor Gaetano Dimita is a senior lecturer in International Intellectual Property Law working on Games and Interactive Entertainment Law, Regulations, Transactions and esports law. He is the Director of the Institute for Interactive Entertainment Law and Policy, the founder and editor-in-chief of the Interactive Entertainment Law Review, Edward Elgar, and the organiser of the ‘More Than Just a Game’ conference series. Gaetano is also the Deputy Director of the Queen Mary Intellectual Property Institute (QMIPRI), The Director of eLearning, CCLS, the Deputy Director of Education, CCLS, and the Director of the LLM in Intellectual Property Law. Outside of Queen Mary, he serves as Executive Committee member of the British Literary and Artistic Copyright Association, the UK national group of the Association Litteraire et Artistique Internationale; as Board Member of the National Video Game Museum; as member of the British Copyright Council - Copyright and Technology Working Group; as member of the UK IPO Copyright Advisory Council, member of the UK Department for International Trade’s Intellectual Property Expert Trade Advisory Group (IP ETGA). He is also a member of Italian Bar Association (Rome), the Video Game Bar Association, the Fair Play Alliance, and the Higher Education Video Game Association. He is particularly interested in supervising interdisciplinary research on games and interactive entertainment law and regulation. Research themes: Game AI Games with a Purpose Computational Creativity E-Sports Player Experience g.dimita@qmul.ac.uk Email Mastodon https://www.qmul.ac.uk/law/people/academic-staff/items/dimita.html Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaetano-dimita-06484544/?originalSubdomain=uk LinkedIn BlueSky Github Themes Applied Games Creative Computing Esports Game AI Player Research - Previous Next

< Back Cameron Johnston Queen Mary University of London iGGi PG Researcher Available for placement Cam holds an MPhys in Theoretical Physics from the University of Edinburgh, wherein he combined infectious disease models with fluid dynamics to examine the validity of wastewater-based epidemiology as a method of passively monitoring the prevalence of COVID-19 in an urban population. During his studies, Cam began to learn game development as a way of improving his programming skills, using C++ and the Unreal Engine to develop a number of small projects and compete in game jams. After completing his MPhys, Cam was eager to take his experience developing physics simulations even further, which lead him to joining the iGGi programme. About Cam's Research: 'Impossible physical models' refer to digital models of any physics that differs from what would be experienced in everyday life. This covers 'incorrect' physics (disagreeing with observation but mathematically valid), and unfamiliar physics (that which is physically correct but irrelevant on a human scale). By creating interactive, virtual environments around these models, it becomes possible to experience the impossible. This research aims to explore the potential of 'impossible physical models' in the context of video games from the perspectives of game design and education. The project explores what work has already been done into this topic, expands on this work, and finds new areas to explore. The goal of this research is to introduce new relationships between physics and video games, and to engender developers to explore physics as a tool for design. cameron.johnston@qmul.ac.uk Email Mastodon http://crjohnston.com Other links Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-r-johnston/ LinkedIn BlueSky Github Supervisor: Dr Josh Reiss Themes Creative Computing Design & Development - Previous Next

< Back Bobby Khaleque Queen Mary University of London iGGi PG Researcher Available for post-PhD position Bobby Khaleque is an IGGI student focused on the creation of Automated Game Design (AGD) Systems particularly for Secret Box experiences. Secret box experiences refer to games which focus less on their game mechanics and rules and more on their aesthetic design, mood evocation and exploration. AGD systems might help empower solo and indie developers during the game design process by quickly creating playable versions of games with little to no human intervention required. A further research goal of his project is game quality evaluation for games seeking to provide the aforementioned experience. After completing a Bachelors in Computer Science and a Masters in Artificial Intelligence both at QMUL he decided to pursue games research particularly for AGD and player experience due to the lack of research in regard to games aiming to provide a Secret Box experience. Bobby is part of the QMUL Game AI group actively pursuing his research in Computational Creativity to answer the question: Can a computer design a high quality Secret Box experience? b.d.a.khaleque@qmul.ac.uk Email Mastodon Other links Website LinkedIn BlueSky https://github.com/BKhaleque Github Supervisor(s): Dr Mike Cook Dr Jeremy Gow Featured Publication(s): What Factors Do Players Perceive as Methods of Retention in Battle Royale Games? Themes Creative Computing Game AI - Previous Next

< Back Dr Dan Franks University of York Supervisor Dr Franks is an interdisciplinary researcher and data scientist interested in AI and machine learning. He is experienced in developing and applying evolutionary computation and machine learning methods to understanding behaviour. He is an internationally recognized leader in interdisciplinary research, has published in top journals such as Science and PNAS. Some of his papers are in the top 1% of all papers for media coverage (altmetric), and his work is regularly covered by The New Scientist, National Geographic, Wired, The BBC, The Guardian, The Times, among others. As Reader in the York Centre for Cross-disciplinary Systems Analysis, Dan works on applying AI, machine learning, and agent-based modelling, to problems in other disciplines. Particular interests involve the development of machine learning methods for creating intelligent AI and for understanding complex systems. Research themes: Game AI Game Analytics daniel.franks@york.ac.uk Email Mastodon Other links Website LinkedIn BlueSky Github Themes Game AI Game Data - Previous Next