So, who am I?
I am a PhD student at the University of Portsmouth. My field of study is primarily around Games, Esports & Psychology. The PhD is investigating the application of ludic knowledge in the acquisition & development of a player’s in-game skill. The aim of the project is to outline differences in how players of varying skill levels use knowledge about a game, and how this facilitates decision making.
Employment History
Associate Lecturer, International Federation of Esports Coaches (July 2021 – Present)
I am a Lecturer within the University of Portsmouth’s new Esports Coaching and Performance BSc (Hons) course, one of the first available globally. I coordinate the Level 4 module ‘Introduction to Esports’ which brings together the context of the esports industry and research methods relevant for the student’s journey throughout the course and within their professional careers.
Demonstrator, University of Portsmouth (Oct 2019 – Present)
I support the Level 4 programming module and general face-to-face sessions for the Computer Games Technology BSc (Hons) course. For those sessions, I assist the leading lecturer in advising students and evaluating work such as their coursework or portfolio websites. In addition, I am undertaking the Graduate Teaching Professional Development rout of the Apex Foundation Pathway.
Education Background
University of Portsmouth (2020-Current)
PhD – Creative Technologies
Ongoing
University of Portsmouth (2019-2020)
MSc Creative Technologies – Distinction
Project – Designing and Integrating Esports Education
This project involved the design and development of an undergraduate esports course, following conventions and guidelines provided by the University of Portsmouth and external bodies. Additional considerations such as course content, comparative courses both internal & external, market research and adapting to a new Blended Learning environment were also undertaken.
University of Portsmouth (2016-2019)
BSc (Hons) Computer Games Technology – First Class Honours
Dissertation – Team Fortress 2: An exploration into grassroots esports and its implication for developers
Award – Advanced Games Research Group Award for Best Game Project 2019
Modules undertaken centered around Game Design and Research, with a basic understanding of 3D modelling and programming techniques. A real-time interactive group project in collaboration with the Royal Navy was completed in the final year, which was demonstrated at an international level at events such as the Defense Simulation Education and Training conference in 2019. Dissertation was an ethnographic observation of a grassroots esport and its consequences of community rulemaking from the perspective of an active participant.
Volunteering
Game Advisor, British Esports Association (2019 – Present)
I volunteer for the British Games Association as a Game Advisor for Team Fortress 2. The role is to provide input and expertise for the organisation to support and understand each community effectively, whilst also keeping them up to date of changes in a range of games.
Event Coordinator, EssentialsTF (2018 – Present)
I coordinate events for EssentialsTF, a broadcaster & event organiser in the competitive Team Fortress 2 community. I work on reaching out to potential partners and sponsorships such as DreamHack and Twitch, as well as organising online tournament. Previous tournaments include the DreamHack Community Clash Series and the Insomnia Gaming Festival, with the latter drawing in ~12,000 concurrent viewers on Twitch in August 2019. I have also arranged streaming & event support for charity events with one such event raising over £20,000 for Special Effect.
Charlie Smith - Games Researcher 