Dr Penny Kyburz

Senior Lecturer

Ph.D., B.IT(Hons), G.C.Ed.(Higher Ed.), G.C.Academic Practice

CSIT Building (108), N330

penny.kyburz@anu.edu.au

+61 2 6125 1607

Bio
Research interests
Publications
PhD Students
Services

I am a researcher in the areas of AI, player experience, and human-AI interaction in games and mixed reality and an experienced game developer. I developed the GameFlow model, which is a widely cited model of enjoyment in video games, and authored a book on Emergence in Games. I have contributed to 20 digital games, which have garnered many awards, including four prestigious BAFTA nominations. I have devised usability methods and lead usability testing on AAA games, resulting in very high critic scores. I have also worked in the Senate as a policy adviser in digital rights, communications, and disability.

I lead the ANU Games Research Group, convene the ANU Computing Internship Program, and teach Human-Computer Interaction.

I am an advocate for women in technology and games and am the Chair of the ANU Family Friendly Committee and founder of the ANU Gender Equity in Engineering and Computer Science (GEECS) initiative.

I am a board member of Digital Rights Watch and Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Games. I am a member of the ACM and IEEE.

Video games, play experience, HCI, AI, human-AI interaction, technology policy, digital rights

(Note I publish under the name P. Sweetser)

Google Scholar profile

Conference Presentations (Invited and Industry)

Kyburz. P. (2020) Hybrid Human-AI Teaming in Real-Time Strategy Games. Defence Human Sciences Symposium (DHSS) 2020 (7-9 December, 2020).

Kyburz. P., Kaeding, T., Mackenzie, J., Orman, E & Vincent, K. Gaming: the Next Level. (2019) Panel at Game Masters Exhibition, National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra, Australia (13 December, 2019). [Invited]

Kyburz, P. (2019) Setting Up Students to Succeed in Computing Internships. Presented at EdTechPosium, Canberra, Australia (28-29 November, 2019).

Kyburz, P., Broad, E., Ruby, F. & Miller, G. (2017) Science, AI, and Democracy. Panel at Everything is Connected: Green Institute Panel, Canberra, Australia (27-28 October, 2017).

Sweetser, P. (2009) Internal User Testing: Tips & Tales. Presented at Game Connect Asia Pacific, Melbourne, Australia (6-8 December, 2009).

Sweetser, P. (2009) Wired Women. Panel at Game On, Brisbane, Australia (28 January, 2009). [Invited]

Sweetser, P. (2008) Emergence in Games. Keynote presented at IEEE Symposium on Computational Intelligence in Games, Perth, Australia (15-18 December, 2008). [Invited]

Sweetser, P. (2008) Emergence in Games. Presented at Game Connect Asia Pacific, Brisbane, Australia (19-21 November, 2008).

Sweetser, P., Orman, E. & James, A. (2008) How to Lose Your Team in 10 Steps. Presented at Game Connect Asia Pacific, Brisbane, Australia (19-21 November, 2008).

Sweetser, P. (2004) Using Cellular Automata and Influence Maps in Games. Presented at Australian Game Developers Conference, Melbourne, Australia (2-4 December, 2004).

Sweetser, P. & Drennan, P. (2003) User-Centred Design in Games. Presented at the Australian Game Developers Conference, Melbourne, Australia (20-23 November, 2003).

Sweetser, P. (2002) Learning AI in Games. Presented at the Australian Game Developers Conference, Melbourne, Australia (6-8 December, 2002).