Introducing our new Games Design BSc programme leader
We are delighted to introduce Dr Jon Weinel (pictured below) who will be joining the School of Arts, Humanities and Creative Industries to lead our new Games Design BSc programme.
Jon is a researcher, educator and practitioner whose expertise spans video games, music and sound.
In 2012 he completed his PhD at Keele University, where his research explored psychedelic sounds and visualisations, an area that he continues to investigate through the latest game engine technologies.
Professor Annika Bautz, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences, says: "I am delighted to welcome Jon as Programme Leader for our new Games Design BSc. Jon will bring a wealth of experience, innovation and insight in the growing discipline of games design that will benefit our students by igniting their technical, creativity, skills and ambition.”
Jon has held research posts in the UK and Denmark, and is actively involved in supporting the next generation of computer art via his ongoing work as an organising member of the British Computer Society EVA London Electronic Visualisation and the Arts conference, and work with the Centre for Sound and Image at University of Greenwich.
Jon says: "The brand-new BSc (Hons) Games Design course at University of Surrey is designed to provide an outstanding educational experience, equipping graduates for careers in the UK’s £7 billion games industry. Located in Guildford, known as the UK’s 'Hollywood for video games', students will benefit from having world-leading games companies such as EA, Epic Games, and Media Molecule right on their doorstep.
"I can’t wait to welcome our new students on to the course, where we’ll be exploring cutting-edge technologies in a state-of-the-art games development lab - featuring high-spec gaming PCs, Sony PlayStation 5 Development kits, and more. What excites me most about this course is its innovative blend of artistic and technical training driven by the evolving needs of the industry."
Jon has written several books on this subject including Inner Sound: Altered States of Consciousness in Electronic Music and Audio-Visual Media, published by Oxford University Press in 2018. Creative practice using music, visuals and code is at the centre of his work, and his computer artworks and virtual reality projects have been presented around the world at events ranging from demoparties and VJ gigs to research conferences such as SIGGRAPH Asia in Tokyo.
Jon will be joining us on 1 May and our new Games Design BSc programme will welcome its first students in September 2025.
