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University of Tampere    SIS/TRIM    www.unet.fi

Research work

My research can roughly be divided into two main areas: the first one has been the study of literature and textuality, but after the end of 1990s I have mostly focused on media culture, digital media and games. Since 2001 I have been working in the Hypermedia/Interactive Media in the University of Tampere (today part of the School of Information Sciences), heading my own research team (see Game Research Lab). Our work is interdisciplinary and includes both theoretical and conceptual study of games and their culture, players, their activities and gameplay experiences, as well as applied games research, including game design research. Our emphasis is on the empowering potentials of digital culture as well as on the constructive criticism on how to evolve it beyond its shortcomings.

Much of current research work in universities is conducted with external grants and funding. So is also in our case. A list of research projects that I have headed or participated in includes:

  • Communication and Community in Digital Entertainment Services, 2001–2002 (funding: Information Society Institute)
  • Future Interaction Television, 2001–2002 (funding: National Technology Agency Tekes, and the consortium of companies)
  • Living with/in Media, flagship project, 2002–2005 (funding: Information Society Institute)
  • Mediamuseo / Media Museum, 2003 (funding: Tampereen kaupunki, museotoimi)
  • Mogame: The Wireless Gaming Solutions of the Future, 2003–2004 (funding: National Technology Agency Tekes and the consortium of companies)
  • Children as the Actors of Games Cultures, 2003–2004; Information Society Institute, Nokia & Ministry of Communications
  • Morphome: Living in Metamorphosis, 2003–2004: Control and Awareness in a Proactive Home Environment Project (funding: Academy of Finland)
  • Games and Storytelling, education project (funding: Nokia & Veikkaus, 2003–2006)
  • Master's Course in Digital Games Research and Design, 2004–2005; education project (funding: Ministry of Education)
  • MC2: Mobile Content Communities, 2003–2005 (funding: National Technology Agency Tekes and the consortium of companies)
  • IPerG: Integrated Project on Pervasive Gaming, 2004–2008 (funding: European Commission and the consortium)
  • SuPer: Design and Research Environment for Lottery Games of the Future, 2004–2006 (funding: National Technology Agency Tekes and Veikkaus the National Lottery)
  • Pelin henki: vuorovaikutteisen viestinnän koulutus pelisuunnittelun avulla, game studies project, 2005–2006 (funding: Pirkanmaan TE-keskus)
  • InGa: International Study of Game Cultures, 2006–2008 (start-up funding: Neogames centre/Informaatio- ja kommunikaatioteknologian osaamiskeskusohjelma, 1st research phase funding: Suomen Kulttuurirahasto)
  • GameSpace: A Method for Design and Evaluation of Mobile Multiplayer Games, 2006-2008 (funding: National Technology Agency Tekes and the consortium of companies)
  • MEPE: Method for Evaluation of Player Experience, 2007 (funding: Veikkaus)
  • MLE: Mobile Learning Environments, 2007-2008; NICe
  • Verkossa pelaamisen erityisongelmia ja suojatekijöitä (VePe), 2007-2008
  • Pelit palveluiksi – Games as Services (GaS), 2008-2010; Tekes & companies
  • Verkkorahapelaamisen muodonmuutos (VerMu), 2008-2009; STM
  • Pelitutkimuksen ja tulevaisuuden oppimisen kärkihanke (LeGaResearch), Yliopistoallianssi, 2008-2009; Ministry of Education & the University Alliance
  • Transformation of Digital Play (SoPlay & GaIn), 2008-2010; Tekes & consortium of companies
  • Creation of Game Cultures: The Case of Finland (CG-Cult), 2009-2012; Academy of Finland
  • YouSat, 2009-2011; NiCe
  • Future Play, 2010; Tekes
  • InnEko, 2009-2010; Tivit Oy
  • Games Industry Innovation Processes (TDP/GIIP), 2009-2010; Tekes & consortium of companies
  • Triangle: The Challenges of Social Media to the Design of Game Services, 2011-2012; Tekes & consortium of companies
  • Play Society: Next Media SHOK, 2011; Tekes & consortium of companies
  • RYM - Built Environment Innovations/Play2Work, 2011-; Tekes & consortium of companies
  • Active Learning Spaces/Play & Exercise, 2011-2013; Tekes & consortium of companies
  • Hybridex -The User Experience in the Future Playful Hybrid Services, 2012-14; Tekes strategic research opening
  • FUN (Finnish-US SAVI project), 2013-15, Tekes
  • Gaming Behaviour, research partnership with Norsk Tipping, 2013-2014
  • Pelaajabarometri 2013, Pelitoiminnan tutkimussäätiö, 2013-2014
  • Free2Play - Best Practices for Free-to-Play Game Services, 2013-2015, Tekes & consortium of companies
  • Koukku - myyntipsykologiaa peleihin, pelipsykologiaa myyntiin, 2014-2015, Tekes & consortium of companies
  • Neuroeconomics of Gaming, 2014-2015, Tekes & consortium of companies
  • Ludification of Culture and Society (Leikillistyminen ja pelillisen kulttuurin synty), 2014-2018, Academy of Finland
  • Hybrid Social Play, 2016-2018, Tekes & consortium of companies
     

See also: Publications, Teaching.

latest update: 03.05.2016



(cc) Frans Mäyrä, frans.mayra{at}uta.fi, University of Tampere, Finland