Dr Panagiotis Fotaris is Principal Lecturer in Game Design and User Experience at the University of Brighton and an internationally recognised researcher in educational escape rooms, game-based learning, and generative artificial intelligence. He has published more than 40 peer-reviewed papers, co-edited five special issues, and his work has been cited over 1,900 times (h-index: 12). He has delivered keynote talks across Europe, chaired major conferences including the European Conferene on Games-Based Learning (ECGBL), the European Conference on E-Learning, and the European Conference on Social Media, and served on the technical committees of over 40 international conferences.

His academic background spans computing, multimedia, and pedagogy: he holds a PhD in Applied Informatics, an MA in Graphic Arts and Multimedia, an MSc in Distributed and Multimedia Information Systems, a PgCert in Academic Practice, and a BSc in Informatics. He is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Certified ScrumMaster®.

Dr Fotaris has held leadership roles including Course Leader for BSc (Hons) Digital Media Design at the University of East London, and Course Leader for BSc (Hons) Digital Games Development and BSc (Hons) Computer Science for Games at the University of Brighton. He currently leads modules in game design, narrative, design thinking, and employability, working closely with industry partners such as EA, Ubisoft, Activision/Blizzard, and Unity to provide live briefs, guest talks, and internship opportunities.

Alongside his academic work, Dr Fotaris maintains a creative practice as a DJ, podcaster, and producer of Lovecraft-inspired concept albums that combine sound design, generative AI, and interactive media (djbynar.com).

Invited Talks, Keynotes, and Webinars

Dr Fotaris has delivered over 30 keynote and invited talks worldwide, with highlights including:

• Keynote Speaker, Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS 2024), Thessaloniki – GenAI-enhanced escape room design

• Keynote Speaker, Escape Rooms in Education Showcase (2023), Heriot-Watt University, UK

• Keynote Speaker, 3rd Symposium on Games in Learning (2022), Nottingham Trent University, UK

• Invited Panelist, AI in Education Forum (2024), London

• Invited Speaker, Develop:Brighton (2019, 2018)

He is regularly invited to share expertise on educational escape rooms, game-based learning, and AI in education at universities and conferences across Europe.

Workshops

Dr Fotaris has designed and facilitated hands-on workshops on educational escape room design and generative AI for more than a decade. These workshops have been hosted by international conferences such as the European Conference on Games Based Learning (2019–2025) and delivered at institutions including Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Brunel University, and the University of Aarhus. They combine theory with practice, enabling educators to integrate playful learning into their teaching.

Dr Fotaris’s research explores technology-enhanced learning, with emphasis on:

• Educational escape rooms and game-based learning

• Generative AI in pedagogy and design

• Narrative and interactive storytelling

• Augmented and virtual reality in education

• User experience and design thinking

He welcomes PhD supervision in projects involving game-based learning, educational escape rooms, generative AI in education, interactive storytelling, and the creative application of computing in the arts and media.

Dr Fotaris welcomes PhD supervision in projects involving game based learning, educational escape rooms, generative artificial intelligence in education, virtual/augmented educational environments, and the creative application of computing in the arts, fashion, and media.

Dr Fotaris teaches across Human-Computer Interaction and Games Design at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He is committed to innovative, student-centred pedagogy, integrating gamification, escape rooms, live coding, peer learning, and industry collaboration into his teaching. He has supervised over 100 dissertations and established strong partnerships with leading studios (EA, Ubisoft, Activision/Blizzard, Creative Assembly), providing students with live briefs, guest talks, and internship opportunities.

In 2019, he organised Brighton’s first GAY(M) JAM, an inclusive game jam celebrating diversity in the games industry. The event strengthened ties with local AAA studios including Hangar 13, Studio Gobo, and Electric Square, and showcased student creativity in socially aware game design.