Nic Whitton Principal Investigator
Nic is Professor of Digital Learning and Play in the School of Computer Science at Northumbria University. Her research focuses on the use of video games and digital play environments for learning and she has a growing interesting in the use of playful pedagogies in universities. Her favourite game is Monkey Island and she is a big fan of giraffes. Nic’s profile.
Ian Robson Co-Investigator
Ian is an Associate Professor at Northumbria University and has a special interest in participatory creative inquiry in social research and teaching. Ian supports Nic’s work in leading RE:PLAY.
Anna R L Carter Research Fellow
Anna is a researcher working at the intersection of HCI, playfulness, civic imagination and urban regeneration. Her work explores how playfulness, care and hope can reorient design toward social connection and collective wellbeing. Through participatory and futuring methods, she explores how everyday interactions – between people, places and technologies – can nurture belonging and creative agency.
Thomas Pollet Specialist
Thomas is a Professor in Psychology at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. His research interests lie in individual differences and personal relationships, with a focus on social networks. In addition, he is interested in improving quantitative methodology. More information at https://tvpollet.github.io/.
Lucas Franca Specialist
Lucas is an Assistant Professor in Computer and Information Sciences at Northumbria University, and his research blends concepts of data and neuroscience. He holds a BSc and MSc in Physics, and a PhD in Computational Neuroscience.
Lauren Scott Co-Investigator
Lauren is a Lecturer at Northumbria University. Their research explores misinformation correction, describing false information types, and building capacities in vulnerable groups for spotting false/AI-generated content online, and outside of work they enjoy gaming, reading, and musical theatre.
Patrick Viney Deputy Co-Investigator
Patrick manages the Technology Enhanced Learning team at Northumbria University, and his background is within teaching and learning with a strong emphasis on how technology can be used effectively to enhance the learning process. His specific area of interest focuses on how learning can be designed to benefit neurodiverse learners, particularly those with autism.
Katie Piatt Co-Investigator
Katie leads the Educational Enhancement team at the University of Sussex and co-Chairs the (CATE award-winning!) Playful Learning Association. She developed the first alternate reality game in UK Higher Education, “Who is Herring Hale?”, and continues to innovate in playful pedagogy, leadership, and digital engagement with a lot of quizzes. Katie’s profile.
Dan Axson Deputy Co-Investigator
Dan is the Learning Technologies Team Manager at the University of Sussex, where he leads the team of Learning Technologists with initiatives that foreground accessibility and student experience. He has a background in teaching at an Independent Specialist College, where he to got flex his creative and inclusive teaching practice. He is a big fan of questions, embraces chaos and will shout loudly about digital skills to whoever will listen. Dan’s Profile.
Alex Moseley Co-Investigator
Alex Moseley is Professor of Playful Learning and Head of Anglia Learning and Teaching at Anglia Ruskin University, where he leads strategic approaches to learning, teaching, assessment, academic development and digital learning. His research area is playful learning for adults in education and museums, co-founded the Playful Learning Association and Playful Learning Conference, likes dinosaurs and is stuck on Balatro challenge 20. Alex’s Profile.
John Parkin Deputy Co-Investigator
John was an early years teacher which inspired his passion for playful learning. When he joined Anglia Ruskin University as a Senior Practitioner in Education, John brought this playful approach to his teaching and particularly likes to use Playmobil pro to support learning and teaching. John currently works in integrating employability into courses across Anglia Ruskin University.
David White Co-Investigator
David White is Dean of Academic Strategy (Online) at the University of the Arts London. His work focuses on digital education and creative pedagogies.
Ian Trulove Deputy Co-Investigator
Ian Truelove is Research and Innovation Coordinator for University of the Arts London Online, which has been established to build large-scale fully online art and design courses. In this role, Truelove draws on 25 years of experience as a lecturer, researcher, course leader and external examiner. His academic research interrogates the intersections of technology, psychology, philosophy, creativity and learning. In his artistic practice, he explores what it means to be a human artist in an age that is increasingly dominated by the terrifying wonder of artificial intelligence.
Simon Rees Co-Investigator
Simon Rees is Deputy Director (Academic Excellence) at the Centre for Academic Development, Durham University. He has strong interests in creative approaches to teaching and learning, particularly in STEM contexts, and has written extensively on the subject (Creative Chemists: Strategies for Teaching and Learning | Books Gateway | Royal Society of Chemistry). He enjoys bring creative and playful approaches to his own teaching and has even been known to appear at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Beth Picton Deputy Co-Investigator
Beth is Head of Educational Development at Durham Centre for Academic Development (DCAD). Previously an accountant and senior manager in the not for profit sector, she has taught Accounting and Human Resource Management before moving into Academic Development. She has a playful streak which she has incorporated into a board game on surviving the academic year for new staff, a choose your own adventure for an accounting ethics review case, team planning à la Taskmaster, and general merriment in her taught sessions.
Malcolm Murray Deputy Co-Investigator
Malcolm is the Head of Digital Learning at Durham University. Originally a biogeographer, working in the mangroves of Belize, he swapped mud, measurements and mosquitoes for pedagogy, politics and programming. He has been involved in and led several projects applying playful learning approaches to support students in their transition into higher education. He uses playful methods in his day to day teaching and leadership activities, including helping staff redesign modules on the PGCAP, better understand accessibility and create imaginative videos in a ludic space.
Sue Black Advisory Board Chair
An award winning Computer Scientist, Technology Evangelist and Digital Skills Expert, Professor Sue Black was awarded an OBE for “services to technology” in the 2016 Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. She is Professor of Computer Science and Technology Evangelist in the Department of Computer Science at Durham University, a UK government advisor, thought leader, Trustee at Comic Relief, social entrepreneur, writer and public speaker. Sue set up the UK’s first online network for women in tech BCSWomen in 1998 and led the campaign to save Bletchley Park. Sue’s first book Saving Bletchley Park details the social media campaign she led to save Bletchley Park from 2008-2011, it has been an Amazon UK bestseller.
Sylvester Arnab Co-Investigator
Sylvester is a Professor in Game Science at Coventry University’s Centre for Postdigital Cultures, where he leads research on the design and application of engaging, empathic, and empowering experiences grounded in playful and game-based approaches. He is the co-founder of the GameChangers initiative (https://gchangers.org), which has impacted empathic teaching and community engagement globally. GameChangers has received multiple awards, including Gold at QS Reimagine Education 2021. With over £20 million in research funding since 2010 and more than 150 publications, his contributions include the book “Game Science in Hybrid Learning Spaces”. Sylvester’s profile.
Petros Lameras Deputy Co-Investigator
Petros is an Associate Professor in Digital Media at Coventry University’s Centre for Postdigital Cultures and the Principal Investigator of GameAid – a project that investigates games and generative AI for teacher development in Vietnam. His research focuses on AI in Education and games science, emphasising serious games and playful learning approaches to enhance educational outcomes. Petros has authored a handbook on AI in Education, led numerous projects aimed at integrating technology into educational practice, and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Petro’s profile.