Jake Habgood

Dr Jake Habgood is a Visiting Professor at the University of Sheffield's School of Computer Science, holding dual roles as Director of Education Partnerships for Sumo Digital Group and Education Advisor to The Independent Game Developer’s Association. His career spans industry experience at Sheffield-based Gremlin Graphics (1990s-2003) and academic research in learning sciences at the University of Nottingham, where he completed his PhD. He has held academic positions at Sheffield Hallam University as a Lecturer and Reader.

His research focuses on game-based learning, novice programming environments, and virtual reality applications. Notable projects include the EU-funded H2020 REVEAL initiative (shortlisted for a Times Higher Education Award), which collaborated with Sony Computer Entertainment. His work emphasizes intrinsic integration of educational content within games, procedural abstraction in Scratch, and accessibility in VR locomotion techniques.

Professional contributions include leadership in curriculum design for games-based degrees, ethical frameworks for educational programs, and industry partnerships. He has authored influential works like The Game Maker’s Companion and Zombie Division, exploring methodological approaches to game-based learning evaluation.

Current affiliations include the Sumo Digital Academy, reflecting his commitment to bridging academic research and industry applications in gaming and education technology.