Xavier Ho

Dr. Xavier Ho is a Senior Lecturer in Interaction Design at Monash Art, Design and Architecture (MADA) and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Sydney's Hunt-Simes Institute. His research focuses on queer narratives in video games and tabletop games, emphasizing LGBTQIA+ communities' expression through design, archives, and exhibitions. He leads initiatives like the Pride at Play exhibition, which highlights queer indie games in Oceania and the Asia Pacific.

Education:

• PhD in Design from University of Sydney (2019)
• Bachelor of Engineering (Software Engineering) from Griffith University (2012)
• 3D Animation Diploma from Vancouver Film School (2008)

Research Interests:

• Queer game studies and representation
• Design education resilience
• Roguelike game design and inspiration networks

His work bridges academia and public engagement through exhibitions, conferences, and media residencies.

Awards:

• CSIRO Medal for Diversity and Inclusion (2018)
• Good Design Award for Pride at Play (2023)
• ABC TOP 5 Arts Residency (2023)

Advising & Grants:

• Supervises queer-focused design research projects
• Principal investigator for projects like 'Visualising Queer Indie Games'

He organizes major events like the Games Symposium for Oceania and the Asia Pacific.

Labs & Teams: Leads the XYX Lab – Gender + Place, focusing on queer indie games and spatial expression.