Dr Alina Potemska

Biography

Dr. Alina Potemska is a London-based game researcher, educator, illustrator and game designer. Her research focuses on game ethics, serious games, using games as a tool for education and social change, and games as a form of art.

She holds degrees in Graphic Art (BA), Illustration (MA), Cultural and Social Pedagogy (MEd), and Game Design (PhD). Her doctoral research focuses on cognition in games, using her board game "Exodus" as a case study for narrative art in abstract games. Her work bridges game studies, the history of game development, and methods for integrating narrative art into learning through games.

She has made contributions to both academic research and practical applications in game studies, Currently, Dr. Potemska is a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader at Arts University Bournemouth and Lecturer in the University of the Arts London, where she also supervises PhD students in game studies.

With extensive experience collaborating with public sector organisations, NGOs, museums, and educational projects in the UK and internationally, Alina specialises in using games and visual storytelling to enhance well-being, learning, and social change. The recent bibliographical micro-LARP In Our Shoes: Stories of Ukrainian Resilience (2025) was created in collaboration with the Game as Art Center and Tampere University in Finland, in response to the displacement of Ukrainians forced to flee the full-scale invasion since 2022, where players discuss dilemmas inspired by real interviews.

Beyond academia, Alina is an active contributor to the creative and gaming communities. She regularly exhibits her artworks in solo and group exhibitions, has illustrated children’s books, and has designed posters for movies and film festivals. She frequently participates in gaming events, conferences, and industry fairs, where she also hosts gaming nights and workshops.

Her contributions extend to fellowships, consulting, and advisory roles, as well as writing and presenting on the intersection of games, illustration, and their impact on culture and education. Her work examines how games have evolved into powerful tools for both artistic expression and interactive learning.

In 2024, she was shortlisted for the Research Excellence Award by TIGA.