The $250bn global gaming industry, and Australia’s growing place in its design and technological advances, will be discussed at the next Cosmos Science City event in Adelaide.

Flinders University Lecturer of Digital Media Dr Lauren Woolbright, editor of OneShot: A Journal of Critical Games and Play, will join a free public lunchtime panel at the The Science Exchange with one of Australia’s most experience video game programmers, Tony Albrecht, who is Principal Engineer at Riot Games.

Dr Woolbright and other experts will discuss the latest developments in the fast growing industry which is looking for new designers, creative artists, as well as hard core logic and science programmers.

The gaming sector draws on a huge range of skills and disciplines: from programmers with technical skills to game designers who conceptualise the game and understand the players’ psychology. There are writers, artists, animators, musicians and audio professionals. Game testers undertake quality assurance, testing the game play and finding bugs before release. Community teams engage with the audience, the players.

Dr Lauren Woolbright, who joins the Flinders University’s College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences from the US, focuses her research on gender representation in games, as well as the industry’s environmental footprint. Game design and interactive environmental storytelling can focus awareness about climate change and sustainability, she says.

“Games thrive on innovation, which happens best with many diverse perspectives at the table,” says Dr Woolbright.

The free monthly lunchtime conversations are being held at The Science Exchange auditorium at 55 Exchange Place (behind 25 Grenfell Street), Adelaide, from 12.30 to 1.30pm. Register online to attend in person or tune in to watch the event live on 4 July from 12.30pm ACST (Adelaide time) here.