Daniela De Angeli at the GALA Conference 2025 in Utrecht

Dr Daniela De Angeli, Professor for the Joint Master’s in Applied XR (GRACE), recently attended the GALA Conference 2025 in Utrecht. The event, organised by the Serious Games Society in collaboration with Utrecht University, is a leading international forum for sharing research and innovation in serious games, with a strong focus on learning, training, and assessment through play.

Daniela presented a short paper co-authored with Dr Daniel J. Finnegan (Cardiff University) and Dr Lee Scott (Echo Games CIC), titled An Integrative Design Process for Making Serious Games. This process, refined over several years, supports the creation of serious games that address complex and sensitive topics through a multi-stakeholder approach. Its strength lies in transforming complexity into meaningful, impactful play. Daniela delivered a short presentation and displayed a poster based on the paper, which received the Best Poster Award — a recognition of both the innovative design method and its relevance to the field.

In addition to the paper, Daniela published abstracts of three serious games developed by her company, Echo Games CIC, in the conference book of abstracts. These projects illustrate her commitment to creating immersive and socially meaningful experiences that extend beyond entertainment. She also presented a European grant proposal she recently submitted, aimed at advancing research and development in serious games. The proposal generated considerable interest and potential collaborations within the community.

The GALA Conference is more than a venue for academic presentations. It brings together researchers, designers, and industry partners in a vibrant exchange of ideas, reinforcing the importance of serious games as effective tools for learning, engagement, and societal transformation.