Biography
I am currently the InGame International Project Coordinator in the division of Games and Arts. With a particular interest in games for language acquisition and preservation of Indigenous Languages. I am also the PI and Project lead on The Kilted Otter Initiative, a research-based extended game jam, and have received funding totalling £52.5k from MG Alba, the Scottish Government, Bord na Gaidhlig, and Xpo North for the project. I also hold the position of the Women in Games applied game designer in residence. I am a visiting lecturer at Norwich University of Arts and Ontario Tech University. I am also a course contributor and external examiner at Ontario Tech University.
I completed my undergraduate degree in Mandarin and Chinese Culture in China followed by a Masters in International Education from the University of Dundee. I am now completing a PhD in ‘The use of role-playing games to enhance the second language acquisition of both Mandarin and English' in the division of Games and Arts. Prior to joining Abertay in 2016, I was a teacher at Lathallan Schools. During my time there, I taught Mandarin, ESOL and art and design.
I havepublished peer reviewed papers on 'Gamification', 'RPGs for second language acquisition' and 'Avatars and affective filters'. As well as a chapter in the book 'Digital Games and Language Learning: Theory, Development and Implementation'. I have upcoming publications on 'Indigenous language game design' and 'Willingness to communicate in-game'. I have peer reviewed articles for Information Systems Frontiers. I have given three keynote talks at international conferences; the most prestigious of which was the United Nations Onu Mujeres Mexico Game Jam conference. I have presented at several conferences around the world including, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Cork and Preston. As well as several based in Scotland.
I work with a number of women in games empowerment organisations such as WIGJ, where I am a mod for their discord, the streamer coordinator for their Twitch and the Twitch mod as well. I am the UK lead for the international Women Game Jam organisation. I am a mod for She Plays Games and the UK lead for the International Women Game Jam organisation. I have worked closely with members of the First Nations in Canada to create a Anishinaabe dialect app and continue to work with them to increase Indigenous involvement in digital media.
