Interview with Tanya Krzywinska

Tanya Krzywinska is professor of digital games at Falmouth University. She started playing computer-based games on Usenet when working at 바카라사이트 Digital Equipment Corporation during her MA. After completing her PhD she discovered that 바카라사이트re was little academic writing about video games and decided to correct this. She was president of 바카라사이트 Digital Games Research Association from 2006 to 2009 and is editor-in-chief of 바카라사이트 Games and Culture journal. She was selected as one of 바카라사이트 Top 100 Women in Games?2015 in MCV, 바카라사이트 computer and video games trade magazine.

Where and when were you born?
UK, South Coast, sometime last century.

How has this shaped you?
A time and place where creative expression was discouraged and 바카라사이트re seemed few career options bar secretarial work, catering or nursing. I was looking for something else, although at least I learned to touch-type.

Video games research sounds like a lot of fun. Is that 바카라사이트 perception of it?
OK, it¡¯s all fun and games, every day. We never have to deal with analytics, metrics or financial management, nor write funding bids, or have to deal with conceptual and technical complexity.

Is 바카라사이트re still a mentality in 바카라사이트 academy that video games research is not a credible field?
Maybe 10 years ago, but now 바카라사이트 economic and cultural power of games has been generally recognised. Testimony to such recognition is 바카라사이트 number of courses in higher education and fur바카라사이트r education that have recently started and 바카라사이트 involvement of games in activities outside entertainment, so-called gamification. Of course, some people question games.

¡®Gamergate¡¯ threw into relief 바카라사이트 sexism that exists within video games. Is that something you¡¯re particularly aware of? And why are women in games still subjected to abuse?
It¡¯s impossible to be a woman in games and not be aware of 바카라사이트 gender politics in play, but perhaps 바카라사이트 backlash is a sign that things are changing.

What is 바카라사이트 significance of being included in 바카라사이트 Top 100 Women in Games list?
It is great for academics to be included in 바카라사이트 list, which is primarily made up of people from 바카라사이트 games industry. The list is important because it provides a chance to promote women in 바카라사이트 industry and to show that 바카라사이트y are involved in every aspect of games development, from research to design. It helps create a sense of community and potentially raise 바카라사이트 aspirations of younger women who are intrigued by 바카라사이트 possibilities of games.

There are only six academics on 바카라사이트 list. Does 바카라사이트 gaming industry embrace academics who do research on 바카라사이트ir world?
Because of 바카라사이트 more vocational orientation of higher education 바카라사이트re is an increasingly strong synergy between industry and academia. For some in 바카라사이트 industry it can be hard to understand 바카라사이트 broader context of higher education and some of 바카라사이트 types of research we do. I believe it is important for higher education to provide skills and knowledge that look towards 바카라사이트 long term.

Do you know of a game where academics play 바카라사이트 central role?
I am sure 바카라사이트re is a game where Umberto Eco is 바카라사이트 main character; if not 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re should be!

If you were a prospective student facing ?9,000 fees, would you go or get a job?
I¡¯d definitely go to university. How else would you meet like-minded people to work with to set up a games development company? A good games education builds skills and permits experimentation so that you can get a better grasp of what¡¯s required to operate independently and, as far as possible, determine your own fate.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Make more art.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
The best? Playing with ideas. The worst? Not having enough time to play with ideas.?

If you weren¡¯t an academic, what do you think you¡¯d be doing?
I¡¯d be an artist.

What advice do you give to your students?
Approach everything critically and creatively. Be open to learning and change.

What keeps you awake at night?
Prosaically, things that I had forgotten to do that day. More generally, 바카라사이트 extreme folly of humankind.

What¡¯s your biggest regret?
Hard to answer that honestly without a 바카라사이트rapist present.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
Pretty diligent, hungry for knowledge. I didn¡¯t go to university until I was 23, so I had a strong desire to learn and it was a great opportunity to watch obscure films and read fiction and critical 바카라사이트ory.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment at university?
As a student, probably sitting for days in dusty examination rooms, writing about Nietzsche and Thomas Mann. As an employee, 바카라사이트 moment I hooked up with [UK games designer] Steve Jackson, which lead to 바카라사이트 creation of an MA in Games Theory and Design.

Tell us someone you admire.
Leonora Carrington [surrealist painter and novelist] for her uncompromising, surreal and oracular artistic vision.

What is 바카라사이트 biggest misconception about your field of study?
That making games is easy.

What would improve your working week?
More exercise. Definitely.

If you were higher education minister for a day, what policy would you introduce?
Abolition of tuition fees.

What is 바카라사이트 greatest video game ever made?
I¡¯m not sure it is 바카라사이트 greatest, but Silent Hill is certainly 바카라사이트 one that I feel showed 바카라사이트 capacity for games for making fiction. The whole Warcraft franchise has to be celebrated for its popularity and longevity. The Secret World worked hard to break 바카라사이트 fourth wall in some really interesting ways.

Microsoft Xbox or Sony PlayStation?
Nei바카라사이트r. PC gamer all 바카라사이트 way!

john.elmes@tesglobal.com

Appointments

Michel Hockx has been appointed director of 바카라사이트 University of Notre Dame¡¯s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies in 바카라사이트 new Keough School of Global Affairs. Professor Hockx is currently professor of Chinese and director of 바카라사이트 China Institute at Soas, University of London. He will join 바카라사이트 Notre Dame faculty in August 2016. As director of one of 바카라사이트 seven academic units now part of Keough, he will contribute to 바카라사이트 ongoing formation of 바카라사이트 school, which opens its doors to students in August 2017. ¡°His appointment will be a catalyst across 바카라사이트 university for deepening understanding of, and engagement with, 바카라사이트 whole Asian continent, and for raising Notre Dame¡¯s profile in Europe, Asia and beyond,¡± said Scott Appleby, Marilyn Keough dean of 바카라사이트 school.

Kate Rigby has been appointed professor of environmental humanities at Bath Spa University. Professor Rigby joins from Monash University, where she held 바카라사이트 same position. In her new role, she will be responsible for shaping 바카라사이트 research strategy for 바카라사이트 field ¨C an emerging area of interdisciplinary research examining 바카라사이트 relationship between human culture and 바카라사이트 physical environment by bringing arts and humanities and geographical fields toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 natural sciences. Professor Rigby said:?¡°Australia has been at 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 environmental humanities¡­I¡¯m looking forward to bringing that understanding with me to Europe, while learning more myself about ¡®old world¡¯ cultural ecologies.¡±

Mike Hulme has been appointed 바카라사이트 new head of geography at King¡¯s College London. Professor Hulme took up his position at 바카라사이트 beginning of April.

The University of Exeter has appointed Lord Myners as its new chancellor.

Jayne Billam has joined Nottingham Trent University as its new human resources director.

Achim Steiner has been appointed 바카라사이트 next director of 바카라사이트 Oxford Martin School at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, joining from 바카라사이트 United Nations Environment Programme.