Matt Coward-Gibbs

Matt Coward-Gibbs is a Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology at York St John University, serving as Course Lead for the Foundation Year in Law and Social Sciences. He is also Technical Director of investigate.games. His research explores intersections of play, leisure, culture, death, and deviance, with a focus on analog gaming communities and their sociological implications. He has published extensively in journals such as Mortality, Leisure Sciences, and Journal of Global Buddhism.

Professionally, he holds a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and is a registered Mental Health First Aider. He has held governance roles, including Governor of Furness College and Chair of its Learner Experience Committee. Coward-Gibbs has convened major events like Death & Culture IV and Spelunking 2020, and secured funding from bodies like the Institute for Social Justice and the Screen Industries Growth Network.

His work bridges academia and practice, advocating for innovative pedagogical models and critical engagement with digital culture. He explores themes such as gaming’s role in mental health, the cultural symbolism of death, and the dynamics of deviance in leisure contexts.