Three Full-Time Fully Funded Ph.D. Positions in Geo-games - Rochester Institute of Technology, NY
Geo Games (GG) are games that (primarily) are played with cellphones that use location-aware technologies as part of their interface. Examples of recent GG are Pokémon Go, Harry Potter Wizards Unite. GG incorporate elements of the ordinary world into the gameplay and use both physical and digital media to create the game experience. The play space of GG is constructed in digital, physical or represented space, and the gameplay experience depends “not only on the events on the screen but also on the player’s position in the physical world”. As such, GG does not draw the players into an entirely imaginary world as video games do; instead, they draw play and fiction into real spaces by focusing on the interplay of the gameplay, content, and physical locations.
We are looking for three Ph.D. students to explore the following three topics around Geo Games:
(1) People-place relationships, civic engagement (REF: GG01)
Several authors have tried untangling how locative play affects people-place relationships and civic engagement. However, most of this work is highly theoretical and is, for the most part, based “on descriptions of game mechanics or incidents from second-hand sources, rather than empirical research”. The Ph.D. candidate will try to address this lacuna by not only substantiating these theorizations but also by exploring: (1) the antecedents and drivers that influence civic engagement and people-place relationships to form through locative play, (2) the surrounding and supporting structures of these, (3) and the effects of these in relation to attitudes, perceptions, behaviors, etc. regarding various locations.
(2) Health, Mental Health, wellbeing (REF: GG02)
In opposition to games that tie players in one physical location (such as console games) movement and socialization is a significant gameplay feature of GG. Prior research has illustrated that locative play not only has the potential to improve one’s physical activity and promote a more healthy lifestyle but also improve the mental health and wellbeing of players. Even though the results show great potential, this line of research within the GG canon is still in its infancy. The successful Ph.D. candidate will further unfold these findings and also explore the impact of GG on either health, mental health, or wellbeing of players.
(3) Accessibility and inclusion (REF: GG03)
Scholarly attention around GG has, for the most part, focused on either on the technologies used to construct these games or the lived experiences of GG players. Consequently, what is notably missing from surrounding discussions is a deeper engagement with recent reports that demonstrate that not everyone is able to partake in these services (e.g., https://www.polygon.com/2016/7/18/12214664/pokemon-go-players-with-physical-disabilities-want-better). To this end, the successful Ph.D. candidate will engage with persons with disabilities and explore how we can increase the accessibility and broaden the inclusivity of GG.
The successful candidates must hold a BSc or MSc in a related field (E.g., Computing, Human-Computer Interaction, New Media, Game Design and Development), and show a great interest in performing high-quality research. He or she must demonstrate experience in software development. Creativity, communication skills, independence, team working, and being comfortable engaging with end-users are valuable advantages. A track record of publications in top-tier HCI venues (such as ACM CHI, CSCW) is desired, as well as a track record of prior participation in research projects that have a significant qualitative or quantitative research component. A good level of technical and scientific English is required.
The positions are full-time and fully funded. Aside from receiving a full tuition waiver and an above-average 12-month stipend for the whole duration of the Ph.D., the successful candidates will also receive a budget to support the projects' costs, and dedicated research space.
The positions are based in Rochester, NY, in the School of Interactive Games and Media, which is housed in the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). For more information about Rochester, NY, and RIT please see: https://www.rit.edu/rit-life.
Interested candidates should contact Prof. Konstantinos Papangelis ([log in to unmask]) directly and include the following in the email:
(1) The topic of interest in the subject of the email.
(2) A CV, including a list of publications (if any) and the names of two referees.
(3) Transcript of grades.
(4) A cover letter of maximum one page describing the scientific issues in the project that interest you and how your past experiences fit into the project.
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