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USC is serious about computer gaming
Computer game development on the Sunshine Coast is about to reach a whole new level.
The University of the Sunshine Coast is offering two PhD research scholarships in computer gaming aimed at developing games that deal with the serious issues of environmental management and protecting children from sexual abuse.
The successful applicants will receive $25,000 a year, plus world-class training and supervision in “serious gaming” and “edu-tainment” from USC’s Senior Lecturer in Interactive Digital Media Dr Christian Jones.
Dr Jones has worked with commercial games developers, including Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, and has developed automotive serious games with Stanford University (US), Ford (US) and Toyota (Japan).
He recently launched a game called “Being Safety Smart” – in association with the Queensland Police Service and Education Queensland – to provide children aged 6-8 with abduction prevention strategies.
Dr Jones said the environmental management computer game would be created in a format similar to SimCity and would integrate with climate modelling systems to provide educational tools for schools through to governments.
“The PhD candidate will receive a stipend of $25,000 per annum as part of the Smart Forest Alliance Queensland partnership,” he said.
The other PhD project involves developing a game to teach safety awareness skills and strategies to children to prevent them from becoming victims of sexual abuse.
“This computer game can include console, desktop, mobile and multiplayer environments,” Dr Jones said.
The candidate’s $25,000 a year stipend would be paid as part of the Telstra Foundation/Queensland Police Service/Daniel Morcombe Foundation project in partnership with Education Queensland and the Department of Child Safety.
“This is an exciting opportunity for two students to work alongside commercial game developers while pursuing their doctorate research,” Dr Jones said.
“They will be developing gaming environments to meet critical community needs of child sexual abuse prevention and climate change education."
Postgraduate applicants interested in either of these PhD projects can contact Dr Christian Jones via email at cmjones@usc.edu.au, or telephone (07) 5459 4849 or mobile 0424 358 195.
— Terry Walsh