Understanding the World of Esports: Esports Science Series 2023
Join us for two days of in-depth discussion panels, networking opportunities, enlightening presentations, and the chance to contribute to the future of esports.
About
About these events
Embark on a journey to explore and delve deep into the fascinating world of esports.
This symposium will bring together researchers, academics, industry professionals, and gaming enthusiasts to shed light on aspects of esports through numerous disciplinary lenses.
Our aim:
- Academic inquiry: Clarify the underexplored academic domains of esports, ranging from psychology, sociology, business, sports science, computer science and law.
- Industry dynamics: Unpack the complexities of the esports industry, its business models, marketing strategies, player dynamics, and the implications of technological advancements.
- Global impact: Highlight the international influence of esports, the cultural exchanges it promotes, its role in digital economies, and the ethical concerns and regulations surrounding it and its social and environmental impact.
- Community building: Understand the esports community, fan culture, diversity, and inclusivity, and discuss ways to ensure its healthy growth.
- Educational implications: Investigate esports’ potential as an educational and training tool, and its impact on youth development and careers.
This event is supported by the British Digital Games Research Association.
Who should attend?
Whether you are a scholar, an industry professional or a casual gaming enthusiast, there’s something for everyone at this unique esports symposium.
A small travel bursary is available for esports researchers in the UK who need financial support to attend — contact Dr Tom Brock.
2023 programme
Location: Benzie Building, Room BZ303
Tuesday 29 August
- 9:30am-10:00am Registration and welcome
- 10:00am-11:00am Keynote – Seth Jenny (Navigating Esports Research and Steering the Handbook of Esports Global Project)
- 11:00am-11:30am Break
- 11:30am-1:00pm Session 1 – Josh Jarrett (Esports Fandom), Usva Friman, Maria Ruotsalainen, and Matilda Ståhl (Diversity and Inclusion in Esports), Julian Frommel and Regan Mandryk (Toxicity in Esports)
- 1:00pm-2:00pm Lunch
- 2:00pm-3:30pm Session 2 – Raine Koskimaa (Esports Culture in Europe), Yaewon Jin (Esports Culture in Asia), David Micallef (Esports Culture in Oceania)
- 3:30pm-4:00pm Break
- 4:00pm-5:00pm Keynote – Julia Hiltscher (Esports and Environmental Sustainability)
Wednesday 30 August
- 9:00am-9:30am Registration
- 9:30am-11:00am Session 3 – Joanna Donohue and Peter Varga (Experimental/Intervention Esports Research Methodology), Hee Jung Hong (Esports Players), Laura Swettenham, Oliver Leis and Callum Abbott (Applied Esports Psychology)
- 11:00am-11:30am Break
- 11:30am-1:00pm Session 4 – Pia Büßecker, Gian Luca Vitale, Matthias Ruhland, Tobias Scholz and Friederike Lenke (Human Resource Management in Esports), Brian McCauley and Bradley Baker (Esports Branding and Marketing), Leandro Becka, Marcos Antón, José Agustín Carrillo Vera and Federico Iván Ruera (Esports Hospitality and Tourism)
- 1:00pm-2:00pm Lunch
- 2:00pm-3:30pm Session 5 – Seth Jenny, Joey Gawrysiak, James O’Hagan and Nico Besombes (Esports Education), Danielle Rourke and Raymond Pastore (Esports Equipment and Infrastructure), Nyle Sky Kauweloa (Esports Venue Design and Venue Management)
- 3:30pm-4:00pm Break
- 4:00pm-5:30pm Session 6 – Amanda Cote, Maxwell Foxman and Ying-Ying Law (Qualitative Esports Research Methodology), Tanja Välisalo, Tom Brock and Ying-Ying Law (Esports Spectorship), Tom Brock and Mark Johnson (Esports Gambling)
Understanding the World of Esports
Keynote speakers
Seth Jenny
Dr Seth E Jenny teaches esports courses within the Department of Exercise Science and Athletic Training at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (SRU). He has conducted research studies relating to video gaming or esports since 2011. Dr Jenny is SRU’s Esports Club faculty advisor, Associate Editor of the Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports, Deputy Editor of the International Journal of Esports, and a board member of the Esports Research Network. He is also the senior editor of the Routledge Handbook of Esports project.
Julia Hiltscher
As the first professional player at the World Cyber Games, Julia Hiltscher wrote esports history. From 2004 to 2023 she worked for the ESL FACEIT Group, where she launched the #GGFORALL initiative to tackle discrimination and promote environmental protection and diversity in the gaming community. Hiltscher received her PhD in esports in 2021. She is the publisher of the eSports Yearbook and a board member of the Esports Research Network, where she fosters the next generation of esports researchers. At the r3.0 R&D organization, Hiltscher helps companies to become regenerative. She teaches corporate social responsibility, sustainability and esports at universities in Europe and advises organisations on CSR.
Speakers
Leandro Becka
Leandro Becka is a graduate of the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina) in business development and tourism. As a researcher, he specialized in esports events destinations. He’s also the founder of Esports UNLP, a pioneering college programme in South America dedicated to promoting esports and fostering the growth of professional players in the region.
Julian Frommel
Julian Frommel is an assistant professor in interaction/multimedia at Utrecht University. His research contributes to the design and implementation of interactive digital systems that provide enjoyable, meaningful, safe, and healthy experiences for users. His work includes research on how to mitigate the negative effects of toxicity and harassment in esports and other online spaces.
Hee Jung Hong
Hee Jung Hong is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport at the University of Stirling and Programme Director of Sport Studies. Her research focuses on career transitions in sport, exploring the challenges and opportunities athletes face — including how they balance sporting pursuits and educational or professional aspirations. She is interested in strategies for the development and management of athletes’ careers, ensuring their long-term success and wellbeing. She applies this approach to esports, recognising its growing significance.
Yaewon Jin
Dr Yaewon Jin is a media cultural studies researcher and an industry expert in esports and gaming. She holds positions as a principal researcher at The Game-n-Science Institute and as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Jyväskylä. Yaewon is a board member of the Esports Research Network (ERN) and The International Society of eSports Studies (ISES), and a founding member of the DiGRA Korea Chapter. With extensive leadership experience at NCSOFT and Riot Games Korea, she is dedicated to bridging the gap between academia and industry, using her interdisciplinary and cross-cultural expertise.
Raine Koskimaa
Raine Koskimaa is a Professor of Contemporary Culture Studies at the University of Jyvaskyla and Vice Director of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Game Culture Studies.
He has published widely, especially on games and digital culture. His work has been translated into several languages. His current research interests are esports, games and transmedia, and gaming and wellbeing.
Brian McCauley
Brian is an assistant professor at Jönköping International Business School in Jönköping, Sweden, the ‘City of DreamHack’. He is the founding Vice Chair of the Esports Research Network and hosts the Esports Research Report podcast. Brian lectures in marketing and communications while researching esports in areas such as marketing, entrepreneurship and sustainability through active engagement with industry and the grassroots scene. Brian’s most recent published paper in Internet Research examines how grassroots actors in Swedish esports work to legitimise the context.
Laura Swettenham
Laura is a sport and exercise psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council and a chartered member of the British Psychological Society. She has a wealth of experience supporting athletes, coaches and teams in a range of sports and esports such as tennis, football, League of Legends, DOTA 2, and Super Smash Bros at both a regional and international level. Within her applied work, Laura specialises in mindfulness and acceptance approaches to facilitate wellbeing and high performance. Alongside this, she is an active researcher and publishes studies in international, peer reviewed journals.
Contact us
Contact us
For event enquiries, contact organiser Dr Tom Brock.
For more information about our Digital Society research group, contact its leads Dr Tom Brock and Dr Adi Kuntsman.