Cody Phillips

Dr. Cody Phillips is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer Science at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Faculty of Science. He leads an independent research program within the Games Research and Interaction Design (GRID) lab, focusing on how digital games can promote mastery, wellbeing, and resilience. His work bridges human-computer interaction, game design, and psychological principles of motivation and engagement.

• Position: Senior Lecturer in Computer Science
• Specializations: Human-Computer Interaction, Digital Games, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality
• Institution: Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
• School: School of Computer Science, Faculty of Science
• Email: cody.phillips@qut.edu.au
• Research Lab: Games Research and Interaction Design (GRID) lab
• Student Supervision: Accepting Honours, Masters, and PhD students

Dr. Phillips' research centers on player motivation, particularly the influence of reward systems and individual differences in reward responsiveness. He investigates how challenge-skill balance affects psychophysiological responses such as electrodermal activity and self-reported arousal, aiming to operationalize and measure flow states in gaming environments. His work extends to ethical considerations in gamification and the design of gameful experiences that support positive outcomes.

The trend across his publications from 2013 to 2024 shows a consistent focus on the psychological and physiological dimensions of gameplay. Early work established foundational typologies of game rewards, while later studies employed psychophysiological measures to evaluate challenge and engagement. Recent contributions continue to explore self-efficacy and motivational frameworks within game design, demonstrating an evolution toward applied, evidence-based game development for wellbeing.

Dr. Phillips is actively engaged in research supervision and welcomes postgraduate students interested in digital games, particularly those exploring applications for social and psychological support, such as in FIFO families. He maintains scholarly profiles on Google Scholar, Scopus, and LinkedIn, indicating active participation in the academic community.