Tarja Susi

Tarja Susi is an Associate Professor of Informatics at the University of Skövde, working within the School of Informatics in the Department of Information Technology. She is an active researcher with a background in cognitive science, focusing on human-computer interaction, cognition, and computer games.

Her educational background includes a doctoral dissertation from Linköping University in 2006 titled "The puzzle of social activity - The significance of tools in cognition and cooperation." She has established herself as a prominent researcher in cognitive aspects of digital environments.

Dr. Susi's research interests span the interaction between humans and the socio-cultural environment, cognition and tools, cognitive and interactive aspects of computer games, situated/distributed cognition, and user experience design. She is a core member of both the Interaction Lab and GAME Research Group at the University of Skövde, demonstrating her commitment to interdisciplinary research that bridges theoretical cognitive science with practical applications.

Analysis of her publication trends reveals a clear trajectory from foundational cognitive science research toward applied game design solutions for real-world problems, particularly in children's online safety, emergency response training, and spectator experiences in digital environments. Her work consistently applies cognitive frameworks to address significant societal challenges through innovative game-based approaches.

• World Childhood Foundation
• Postkodlotteriet
• IUS Innovation
• University of Skövde
• Sten A Olsson Foundation (3 million SEK)

Currently, Dr. Susi leads a major project on "Risk reduction for ambulance and emergency service personnel in the event of unforeseen and severe incidents" (May 2024 - April 2027), which aims to develop digital simulation methods to improve cross-organizational risk assessment capabilities among emergency response leaders. Her previous significant projects include the KidCOG series focused on preventing online sexual grooming of children and research on spectator experiences in eSports, all demonstrating her applied research approach to solving pressing societal issues through game design principles.