Dr Vanissa Wanick

• Games Design
• Design Thinking
• Games User Research

Vanissa Wanick is an Associate Professor in Interaction Design at Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

She holds a PhD in Design from the University of Southampton, UK, an MBA in Marketing from Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil (UFF), and a BA in Design from PUC-Rio, Brazil.

Her research explores the intersections of game design, human–computer interaction (HCI), and creative technologies, with a focus on participatory and playful approaches to civic engagement, diversity, sustainability, and cross-cultural design. She has published widely on topics including game design methods (both analogue and digital games), user experience, immersive technologies (VR/AR/XR), and design for behaviour change.

With more than a decade of international experience in digital and user experience design, Vanissa has collaborated with industry and community partners in Brazil and the UK. She has also contributed to major international conferences, including CHI PLAY, GALA, Graphica, and SBGames. She currently serves as a board member of the Serious Games Society and as a Women in Games Ambassador. She is also a member of the UKYA, an initiative supported by the Royal Society.

Vanissa is co-founder and co-director of Nucleolus Software Ltd., a spin-out studio established in 2020 that creates games for social good and entertainment games.