LSBU Head of Games set to receive Women in Games Award 2016
Siobhán Thomas, LSBU's head of Games, recognised in Top 30 Women in Games for influential industry work and initiative to make games for children in hospicesThe industry-voted award, which is spearheaded by the organisation Women in Games (WIGJ) and The Market for Video and Computer Games (MCV) and sponsored by Facebook, celebrates the contributions of the most inspirational and influential women in the UK games industry.
Siobhán Thomas has been leading the Game Design and Development course at LSBU for the past eight years and is the only academic to be included on the list. She is also the first female Course Director for games courses at LSBU.
Alongside her ongoing research in gender and games education, Siobhán’s influential work includes the industry-recognised Enable Gaming project.
This far-reaching accessibility initiative features a dynamic collaboration between LSBU students and Lifelites to create games for children in hospices all over the UK. This project also seeks to create an avenue for people with disabilities to get into the games industry.
Siobhán is also the London Chapter Coordinator of the International Games Developers Association (IGDA) and develops game hardware based on her research into sensory game design.
Games is the fourth largest employer in the creative industries, but women only represent 19 per cent of the work force. WIGJ aim to double the number of women in games in the UK and European games industry by 2025.
Siobhán said: “It’s an absolute honour to be recognised amongst all of these incredibly talented women. This award signals that games education and wider games advocacy is a priority for the UK games industry.
“It’s my aim to support and increase the number of women graduates going into the games industry and to support the community of women in games in general.
“A more diversified industry will result in more interesting games created, and would support the growth of the industry as a whole.”
Siobhán will join 29 other nominated women, who will all be presented with their awards at the annual Women in Games awards ceremony on 19 May 2016.
To find out more about Game and Design courses at LSBU please visit the website.