Dr Andrew Reid

Contact info

a.reid@abertay.ac.uk

+44 (0)1382 30 8047

Biography

I am a Lecturer in Games Production and the Programme Lead for the BA (Hons) Game Design and Production programme. I currently deliver teaching on modules in quality assurance, interaction design, and awareness of the creative industries. I also supervise and mentor many applied game-based projects at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

I completed my undergraduate degree in Game Design and Production Management at Abertay University. Following that, I achieved my PhD in applied game design from Glasgow Caledonian University. I achieved my Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in September 2020.

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, and health and wellbeing. I am interested in exploring new ways for game technologies to be developed and used in contexts beyond pure entertainment, and understanding their growing ubiquity in society.

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

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Teaching
Research

Undergraduate Teaching

Quality Assurance and User Research
Creative and Cultural Industries

Undergraduate Supervisions

Honours Project

Postgraduate Supervisions

Martin Lynagh (PhD, 2021-)
Fraser Simpson (MbR, 2021-2023)
Gordon Brown (PhD, 2020-)
Vedant Sandare (MbR, 2019-2020)

Interests

My research has focused on the design, development, and evaluation of applied games for a variety of contexts. Project:Filter was developed as part of my PhD and explores the intersection of public policy, engagement, and education. 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.

My currently work involves collaboration with third sector organisations to explore the co-production of games that support their achievements of goals and objectives. I am actively interested in pursuing research and supervision opportunities of research in:

games for third-sector and volunteer organisations;
applied games in education;
widening access to games industry (particularly for those from SIMD backgrounds).

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More Information

Esteem

Member of AHRC Peer Review College (2022-2025)

External Examinations:

BA (Hons) Games Development and Futures, Academy of Contemporary Music
BA (Hons) Game Design, Technological University Dublin

Outreach

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

Providing Pathways Through Youth Work and Game Development, Digital Youth Work Conference 2024 (Glasgow, UK; speaker)
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)
RSE @ Inverness Family Day (Inverness, UK; speaker)
Jamology 2019 (Tampere, Finland; speaker)