Pause carousel
Play carousel
During my undergraduate degree, I began using games as a focus for essays and research. My fascination with anthropology and social sciences grew rapidly, and eventually, I decided to explore these areas through a PhD at AbertayJoelle Nieuwenhuis | Abertay University | PhD in Games and Arts
After completing her master’s degree, Joelle’s passion for social sciences and anthropology deepened. What began as a plan to pursue a second master’s took an unexpected turn—leading her to a PhD at Abertay.
She said:
I’ve loved games since childhood, starting with my Game Boy Colour and Pokémon, then battling my siblings in Mario Kart on the DS and finally getting my own laptop to play PC games with strangers on the internet.
Abertay came highly recommended by a lecturer she met at a games event, and after researching the university’s courses and community, she knew it was the right fit.
Her thesis examined how competitive team-based video games create spaces for social connection and community building. Joelle explored not only the games themselves but also surrounding activities such as esports, fan events, gaming cafés, and streaming. Through interviews with players, professional gamers, and industry experts, she uncovered how these environments foster belonging—often in smaller, close-knit groups—and how they shape the wider gaming ecosystem.
While the research was rewarding, Joelle says the most valuable part of her PhD was the people she met along the way.
She said:
My PhD was messy, full of uncertainty and hurdles, but the peers I connected with made my days brighter. Sitting down for intense, enriching conversations and exchanging ideas often helped me push my own research forward.
She also found Abertay’s games-focused culture inspiring. Seeing so many people passionate about games in different ways in one place was incredible. Whether working on her PhD or taking part in extra-curricular activities, there were always people willing to support her and share their enthusiasm.
Her PhD journey wasn’t without challenges. The pandemic disrupted her research, and later, a medical diagnosis added another layer of complexity. She said:
It explained a lot but left me floundering for a while. I often wondered how things might have been different if I’d known earlier. But I kept moving forward because I enjoy becoming a better person than I was yesterday.
Support from Abertay staff proved invaluable. She credits her supervisors, Dr Lynn Love and Professor Stefano De Paoli, for their guidance and encouragement, saying that without them, she wouldn’t have finished my PhD.
Looking ahead, she’s currently working as a postdoctoral research associate and hopes to continue in academia, combining research and teaching.
Offering advice to new students, she said:
Be reflective and introspective—take time to look inward and ask what’s working and what isn’t. And if you see a problem, speak up. Finally, be kind to your lecturers; they’re under immense pressure to give their best.
