Max V. Birk

Max V. Birk is an Associate Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), affiliated with the Human-Technology Interaction group in the School of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences. He holds a secondary appointment as EAISI Health Associate Professor. His interdisciplinary research focuses on game-based design strategies, digital health, and motivational interface design, with contributions to games user research, eSports, and interactive experience tools. Birk earned a Psychology degree from the University of Trier (2012) and a Computer Science PhD from the University of Saskatchewan (2018), focusing on avatar customization for health engagement.

Research Contributions: Birk’s work spans player experience, behavioral data analysis, and game-based digital biomarkers for stress. He leads the NWO Veni-funded project on game-based biomarkers for acute/chronic stress. His research has been published in top HCI venues like CHI and ACM Transactions on CHI.

• Organized global workshops and co-chaired CHI PLAY 2020/2021
• Collaborations with Tencent, AlienTrap, and global game developers
• Editorial roles at JMIR Mental Health

Awards & Honors:

• 2023 TU/e Young Researcher Award
• 2022 Best MSc Teacher Industrial Design
• NWO Veni Grant (2020)
• Multiple ACM awards and recognitions

Academic Leadership:

• Vice-chair of Eindhoven Young Academy of Engineering
• Board member of EWUU Centre for Unusual Collaboration
• Member of De Jonge Akademie (KNAW)

Teaching: Courses include 'Digital Tools & Human Wellbeing', 'Human Factors', and 'Social Media & Online Life'.