Fully-Funded EPSRC PhD Studentships in
Intelligent Games and Game Intelligence (iGGi)

Join a team of over seventy people investigating research topics in games. We have several EPSRC PhD studentships, starting September 2023, based at Queen Mary University of London and the University of York. The studentships cover fees and a living expense for up to four years.

iGGi provides an exciting opportunity to undertake a four-year PhD in Intelligent Games and Game Intelligence, working with world-leading academics, game companies and third sector organisations on topics in games research that make a difference to people’s lives. We are looking for a diverse group of motivated candidates to join our 70+ current PhD researchers conducting interdisciplinary research on topics such as:

• Understanding player experience, games user research, and game analytics
• Game audio and music
• Using games and gamification to support wellbeing, learning, or social change
• Using esports and other game data to study human behaviour and psychology
• Interaction, user experience and learning design for games
• Using machine learning (ML) and other forms of artificial intelligence (AI) to create interesting, fun, believable game agents
• Augmented creativity tools that support game designers and developers, e.g. procedural content generation, AI-assisted game design and testing
• Using ideas from game AI to improve real-world decision making beyond games

Why apply to iGGi

iGGi is a collaboration between the University of York and Queen Mary University of London. Both universities are committed to conducting research that positively impacts people’s lives and providing equality of opportunity. Both are current holders of the Athena Swan Bronze Award.

The iGGi programme trains PhD researchers to become the next generation of leaders in games research, design and development, and to create positive social, cultural and economic impact through games.

You will receive training in game design, games research methods, game development, game AI, responsible innovation, and engaging users and the public with your work. In addition, you will have access to optional training in a wide range of topics such as HCI, graphics, audio, psychology, or AI.

You will also have opportunities to collaborate with other students and researchers, make games, and share your work through:

• the annual iGGi Game Jam, enhancing your skills in game design, development, and teamwork;
• the annual iGGi Conference, showcasing student research alongside industry and academic speakers; and
• student-led events such as research seminars, board game evenings, and workshops.

iGGi will give you the opportunity to work directly with industry and third sector organisations. Placements, research exchanges, and other forms of knowledge exchange will give you the possibility to make a positive impact, experience the games industry first hand, and collaborate with researchers and practitioners. Current iGGi students have worked with partner organisations such as Sony Interactive Entertainment, Bossa Studios, Google, Bloomberg, Media Molecule, BT, Splash Damage, Microsoft Research and Sue Ryder. You can find a list of more iGGi partners on the iGGi website.

Who should apply

Due to the terms of this funding we are unable to consider students who have international fee status in this recruitment round. However, if you are an international applicant and would like to apply as a self-funded student please contact iggi-admin@york.ac.uk.

iGGi researchers are a diverse group, and admission is decided on the basis of your potential to do excellent research and contribute to our goal of making a positive impact with games research. We especially welcome applications from candidates belonging to groups that are currently under-represented in games research and the games industry; these include (but are not limited to) women, individuals from under-represented ethnicities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people from low-income backgrounds, and people with physical disabilities.

How to apply

If you are interested, please visit the Apply page on the iGGi website for full details on the application process and a list of potential supervisors and their research interests. You can contact us at apply@iGGi.org.uk with any questions. Please also see the iGGi website for recorded content from previous online recruitment events for 2023 entry.

We expect strong competition for studentship places and encourage those interested to submit applications as early as possible. The deadline for applications is 12:00 noon (BST) on Monday 15th May 2023.