Dr. Cenk Koknar

Biography

Cenk is a lecturer, researcher, and practitioner in interaction design. His research focuses on user experience design, applied game design, and the expressive potential of interactive media. He teaches in the Design Interactive Media Game Design Studio as part of the MSc Design Digital Media program. Cenk completed his PhD in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication with a specialization in game studies and game design, with a thesis titled “Negotiating Right Way Play Video Games.” His theoretical research examines community dynamics among players of interactive media and how users understand societal aspects that engage with interactive media and shape their expectations and gratifications. He co-designs playful media with diverse stakeholders including children, young people, therapists, educators, and artists, to explore how interactive media can broaden participation and support wellbeing, learning, and reflection. He develops experimental games and platforms that communicate personal, social, and cultural topics, employing design thinking, participatory design, and iterative prototyping to translate complex ideas into digital interactive experiences.

Research Interests