Samantha is an Assistant Professor of Design Futures based in the Arts and Well-being theme within the Centre for Arts, Memory and Communities: https://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/areas-of-research/centre-for-arts-memory-and-communities/well-being-and-the-arts/#tab-560899-1 The theme brings together researchers from various disciplines (including art, design, human factors, midwifery, serious games, performance, photography etc) who are interested in the contribution creative subjects can make to the understanding, improvement and promotion of health, well-being and inclusion.

Samantha is a practice-based researcher who is focused on the research, design and development of playful and gameful solutions that include serious games, gamification and simulations for digital (AR/ VR/ Computer) and analogue formats (card/ board/ theatre-led). She has designed and produced applications across a number of disciplines including solutions and interventions for healthcare & wellbeing, education (all tiers), management, customer care, agriculture, public transport, the military and finance sectors.

With a background in design-thinking and games psychology she utilises a range of research methods such as participatory and co-design, that place focus on the inclusion of end-users and stakeholders early in the design process to faciliate effective behaviour change or meet desired learning outcomes. She is particulary interested in the research and development of applications to be used for educational healthcare. 

Samantha graduated with an undergraduate degree (First) from the University of Wales in Computer Games Design and then postgraduate degrees (MScR and PhD) from Coventry University. She has previously worked in the AAA game industry (Codemasters) before moving into academia. She has worked at Coventry University for 10 years as a researcher, technician and lecturer. Previous departments include the Serious Games Institute and the Disruptive Media Learning Lab. She is also a qualified facilitator in Lego Serious Play.

• Participatory and Co-creation based research
• Curiosity-led learning
• Simulations for workplace/ educational training
• Educational escape rooms
• Lego Serious Play
• Healthcare education
• VR/AR