Personal Statement

My current research interests lie in understanding the short- and long-term behavioural effects of playing video games and using other forms of digital technology. I'm also interested in the interaction between scientists and the media, and particularly how scientific research (for example, about video games) gets picked up in the mainstream news.

For four years I coordinated the science blogs network for the Guardian, where I also wrote the psychology blog Head Quarters. I am the author of Lost in a Good Game - Why We Play Games and What They Can Do For Us, and Unlocked - The real science of screen time (and how to spend it better).

I've previously written for Science Focus magazine, the New York Times, the Observer, Telegraph, WIRED, Discover magazine's science blog, the Nature Network, the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest, and Scientific American's blog network, and I've been a science consultant for BBC’s Horizon and a BAFTA games jury member.

Academic qualifications

  • BSc (Hons) - University of Bristol
  • MSc - University of Bristol
  • PhD - University of Bristol

Professional qualifications

  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Professional memberships

  • Life Member - Applied Vision Association

Other external roles

  • Registered Reports Editorial Board Member, Scientific Reports
  • British Academy peer reviewer
  • War Games Exhibition advisory panel member, Imperial War Museum (2022-2023)
  • Video games exhibition advisory panel member, Science Museum (2023-present)
  • Video games research framework working group member, DCMS (2021-2023)

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce