Studies

• MAY 2019 | Postdoc – Faculty of Communication & Media Studies – National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (ΙΚΥ Scholarship) “Heroine’s Journey: from experience to digital storytelling, a playful research into identity through co-participation and new media”
• JUNE 2016 | PhD – Faculty of Communication & Media Studies – National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΤΟΣ Full Scholarship) «Playful Interactions: Digital Games in the learning experience of students with intellectual disabilities»
• SEPTEMBER 2005 | MSc in Information Management Strathclyde University Department of Computer and Information Sciences Dissertation: Quality of Relationships in MMORPG Virtual World
• SEPTEMBER 2003 | B.Sc in Communication and Media Studies National & Kapodistrian University of Athens 

Awards

• Culture Moves Europe – mobility funding for “Playful Urban Arts Reclaimed” research, Berlin, 2023
• Postdoc-Research Scholarships – State Scholarships Foundation, Greece, 2018
• U.S. Institutes for Scholars: American Culture & Society – NYU – Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, USA,
• 2017 STELLAR network of excellence Scholarship, France,
• 2011 Iraklitos II Full PhD Research Fellowship, EU, 2009 
• 2005 Scottish Government Scholarship of Excellence

University Teaching Experience

• Digital Storytelling, Adjunct Professor: Faculty of Communication and Media Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University, September 2016 – September 2018 
• Digital Storytelling, Adjunct Professor: Dept of Early Childhood Education of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, September 2016 – September 2018 
• Heroe’s & Heroine’s Journey in games, cinema and trans media, Guest Lecturer: Yearly Lecture at the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University, September 2010 – today 
• Games in Culture and Education, Guest Lecturer: Cork Institute of Technology (MA in eLearning Design and Development) 5th of March 2015, 1st of May 2014, 23rd of September 2016, 15th March 2018
• Digital Storytelling, Transmedia Storytelling and Games, Adjunct Professor: Kostis Palamas Project, Communication and Media Studies, UoA. June 2015- November 2015 
• Applied Games, Game Design & New Media, Guest Lecturer: Faculty of Communication and Media Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University, September 2007 – September 2015 
• Serious Games, Game Design, Web 2.0 and Transmedia Storytelling and classroom applications, Visiting Lecturer: University Center for Teachers Training, September 2011 – November 2011 
• Transmedia Storytelling, Serious Games and Web 2.0, Visiting Lecturer: Quality Journalism and New Technologies, MA, Donau-Universität Krems hosted by the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). December 2009 – December 2010 

Selected Research Projects

• Playful Urban Arts Reclaimed: Explore & Research challenges, new potentials & develop frameworks for sustainable playful public arts & urban game design. With the support of Creative Europe
• XR & Magick Rituals Design: Exploring parallels between occult rituals and XR design with Dr Mariza Dima, June 2021 – Present (qualitative researcher)
• Microaggressions: The effect of microaggressions on the academic and psycho-social adjustment of students with disabilities, University of Thessaly, June 2020 – Present (qualitative researcher)
• Heroine’s Journey: a series of digital storytelling workshops towards the empowerment of women in Athens. March 2017 – May 2019 (researcher, facilitator)
• LabourGames: an innovation-oriented cultural project bringing together the »world of labour« with the »world of play« – September 2016-Present (project manager, researcher, curator, game designer)
• Play2Do: A Simulated Training Framework for Skills Development of Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and their Trainers – September 2016-Present (project manager, researcher, curriculum designer)
• Code RED Project – Re-engaging Young people of different cultural background and/or different abilities using co-operative game design methodology October 2013 – October 2015 (project manager, researcher, facilitator, designer)
• INVOLEN project – Intergenerational Learning for Nature Conservation Volunteers, promoting intercultural and intergenerational learning through technology, location based games and storytelling September 2013 – today (researcher, facilitator, curriculum designer)
• ATLEC – Assistive Technology Learning Through A Unified Curriculum. October 2011 – October 2013 (project manager, researcher, curriculum designer)
• Recall – KA3 project – Location Based Services – Reconnecting Excluded Communities and Lifelong Learning. December 2009 – December 2011 (project manager, researcher, facilitator)
• GOAL.NET – Vocational games based learning for people with cognitive and sensory impairment – EU Leonardo. June 2007 – December 2009
• e-Access II – Supporting Vocational Education and Training of Disabled People. December 2008 – November 2009
• EPINOISI: Specialized Formation of General and Special Education Teachers and Production of Digital Game-Based Educational Material for Mild Intellectual Disability (EPEAEK II) run by the Faculty of Communication and Mass Media Studies. November 2007 – November 2008.
• AdaptiveWeb Edu Web adaptation and personalization. May 2004 – November 2007  

Editor, reviewer & committee member

• Editor of the proceedings of the International Colloquium EUTIC 2007 – Challenges and Uses of ICT. Media and Information diffusion: towards an open society. Ed. Dardanos, Athens 2008 
• Member of LUDI – a research network on play for children with disabilities
• Member of the Program Committee of the International Conference on Virtual Worlds and Games for Serious Applications
• Member of the Scientific Committee of the International conference on Game-Based Learning
• Programme Committee member for ICGR International Conference on Gender Research
• Programme Committee member for DiGRA 2018 | Digital Games Research Association
• Reviewer for the International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction
• Reviewer for the Computers & Education Journal
• Reviewer for Journal of Computing in Higher Education
• Reviewer for the 2016 Ireland Games Based Learning Research
• Programme Committee member for VS-Games 2016
• Programme Committee member for the International Conference on Advanced Technologies Enhancing Education 

Training

• BTEC Professional Certificate at Counseling and Counseling Skills, Business and Technology Education Council – Mediterranean Professional Studies (THACE), UK&Greece
• Creative Facilitation Training: The Art of Facilitation – Partners for Youth Empowerment (PYE Global), Luxor, Egypt
• Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars: American Culture & Society – NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, USA
• Socially Engaged Art Projects: Community and Participation – NODE Center for Curatorial Practices, Berlin/Online
• Curating New Media Art – NODE Center for Curatorial Practices, Berlin/Online
• Getting Personal: A hands-on guide to making personal games School of Machines, Making & Make-Believe, Berlin/Online
• Teaching Adult Learners Certificate – GameTree Co, Athens
• Games for Cities Training School – Lectorate of Play & Civic Media, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands
• Goffman, play and games PHD Course – LinCS, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
• Impact Hub Academy on social entrepreneurship, Impact Hub, Athens, Greece
• Game Based Learning Summer School – 7th CNRS School on Technology Enhanced Learning, Autrans, France
• Specialization on Special Education Training Approaches and Theatrical Play – Maraslis College of Primary Education, Greece
• Specialization on creative teaching for students with cognitive disabilities – Patakis Publishing/Training Program, Greece
• Training on IT education for adults and children – Τechnokids- Technoplus S.A., Greece
• Training program “Executives on Internet Development Applications” – (IT Specialisation & Cambridge International Diploma at Advanced Graphics), Greece 

Conferences

• Main Organizer and Facilitator of “Story Makers” Game Studies Conference & Game Jam in collaboration with Goethe Institute, Athens, November 2016
• Main Organizer and Facilitator of “Storytelling the Art of Time” Conference in collaboration with Goethe Institute, Athens, May 2016
• Main Organizer of Invisible Cities Conference, Athens October 2015
• Main Organizer of Plaython Talks Conference, Athens, September 2013
• Member of the Organisation Committee of the International Digital Storytelling Conference, Athens, May 2014 
• Member of the Organisation Committee of Epinoisi Information Conference Day, September 2008

Selected Publications | chapters, journals and conference proceedings

• Dima, M., and Saridaki, M. (2023). Where the magic is: Ceremonial magic as a design perspective for Mixed Reality immersive experiences, Fictional Practices of Spirituality, Vol. 1.
• Saridaki, M. & Dima, M. (2022) Learning from Witches: Applying The Transformative Power of Occult Ceremonial Rituals to Extended Reality Design, Zip Scene Conference Proceedings, Budapest, Hungary, 10-12 November, 2022
• Encarnação, P. & Saridaki, M.(2019) LUDI. Play for children with disabilities at Users’ Needs Report on Play for Children with Disabilities: Parents’ and children’s views edited by Allodi Westling, Mara & Zappaterra, Tamara. November 2019
• Saridaki, M. (2018). Cities at play: how games and playfulness can shape urban life. In ARTECITYA: 9 approaches to urban challenges 2018, MOTA editions 255 pages
• Saridaki, M. (2018) Digital Storytelling for the empowerment of people with intellectual disabilities, in Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Software Development and Technologies for Enhancing Accessibility and Fighting Info-exclusion, DSAI 2019, Thessaloniki, Greece, June 20-22, 2018. ACM 2018, ISBN 978-1-4503-6467-6
• Meimaris, M. & Saridaki, M. (2018) Digital Storytelling in Healthcare and Breaking Bad News, in the Bioética no Século XXI, edited by Steven S. Gouveia and Susana Viegas, January 2018, Create Space Publishing Platform
• Saridaki, M. & Mourlas, C. (2014). Flow, Fun and Frame in the Classroom: Redefining the Engagement and Self-Determination of Students with Intellectual Disability through Games. Interactive Technologies and Games (iTAG), 2014 International Conference, 16-17 Oct. 2014, page(s): 44- 50. publisher: IEEE
• Saridaki, M., & Mourlas, C. (2013). Integrating Serious Games in the Educational Experience of Students with Intellectual Disabilities: Towards a Playful and Integrative Model. International Journal of GBL (IJGBL), 3(3), 10-20.
• Saridaki, M., & Mourlas, C (2011) Motivational aspects of gaming for students with intellectual disabilities. International Journal of Games Based Learning, 1(4), 48-58, October-December 2011
• Saridaki, M., Mourlas, C. (2011) Fingers on the Screen: Games Based Learning for Students with Intellectual Disabilities, eLearning Papers nº 25 – Special Issue on Game-Based Learning
• Saridaki, M., Mourlas, C. (2011). Motivating the demotivated classroom: gaming as a motivational medium for students with intellectual disability and their educators. In P. Felicia (Ed), Improving learning and motivation through educational games: multidisciplinary approaches. Idea Group reference.
• Saridaki, M. & Charitos, D. (2006). “Investigating the impact of experiencing MMORPGs on forming intimate relationships”, σεSantorineos, M. (επιμ.), «Gaming Realities: The Challenge of Digital Culture», Proceedings of the International Mediaterra Conference 2006, Athens, October 2006.

Selected Presentations | Conferences

• Dima, M., and Saridaki, M. (2022). Liminality, Embodiment and Metamorphosis: Applying The Transformative Power of Ceremonial Magic to Mixed Reality Games Design, DIGRA 2022, Kraków 7-11 July 2022 
• Roth, C.; Zuraida, B.; Saridaki, M. (2022) Playing with Death – The transformative impact of interactive narrative media dealing with Death, Loss and Grief, Zip Scene Conference, Budapest, Hungary, 10-12 November, 2022
• Saridaki, M. (2020) Temporary Playful Zones: Designing Spaces Of Playful Interaction And Change In The Digital And Non Digital World, in Irish Conference on Game-Based Learning (iGBL) 25 – 26 Jun 2020, online.
• Saridaki, M. (2019) Building trust in play: the european school of urban game design In Play, Perform, Learn, Grow (PPLG) Conference, held on 4 – 6 October 2019 in Thessaloniki, Greece
• Saridaki, M. (2019). Heroine’s Journey in a Broken World: Constructing Narrative and Identity using Digital Storytelling at the International Conference on Gender Research, 12 – 13 April 2019, Porto, Portugal
• Saridaki, M. & Meimaris, M. (2019) Sharing our journey: postgraduate students design and share their stories in digital storytelling workshops, in Proceedings of the International Digital Storytelling Conference DST 2018: Current Trends in Digital Storytelling: Research & Practices (pp. 196-201).
• Saridaki, M. (2017) Games and the Occult: everyday enchantment through new interactions and old practices. TABOO – TRANSGRESSION – TRANSCENDENCE in Art & Science 25 May – 4 June 2017, Corfu Greece,
• Saridaki, M. (2016) Play & Disability: Playing Makes It Less Difficult. CounterPlay ’16 Conference, 13-15 April, Aarhus Denmark
• Saridaki, M. & Kolovou, E. (2015). A methodological approach to promote cultural & ecological heritage through Location Based Game Design and Intergenerational Interactive Storytelling, in International Digital Storytelling Conference Athens May 8-10, 2015
• Saridaki, M. & Papadopoulos, A. (2014) Techno-Shepherds at the Sheep Museum: Promoting Pastoral Life Heritage using a Blended Approach of Physical and Digital Games”, CANEPAL International Conference, October 2013, Athens
• Tsene, L., Saridaki, M., Roinioti, E., Chrisanthopoulou, Ch. and Tsakarestou, B. (2014). Playful Transmedia Storytelling. The case of Petite Poucette. Paper presented at International Digital Storytelling in Times of Crisis Conference. 2014, Athens
• Saridaki, M. & Mourlas, C. (2014). Changing the Rules of the Game: Digital Games as Tools of Change in the Special Education Classroom in 8th European Conference on Games Based Learning ECGBL 2014 Berlin; 10/2014
• Saridaki, M., Mourlas, C. (2011). Incorporating serious games in the classroom of students with intellectual disabilities and the role of the educator. 3rd International Conference in Games & Virtual Worlds for Serious Applications. IEEE, Athens, Greece •
• Saridaki, M., Gouscos, D., Meimaris., M. (2009) Digital Games- Based Learning for Students with Intellectual Disability at the book “Games-Based Learning Advancements for Multi-Sensory Human Computer Interfaces: Techniques and Effective Practices, edited by Thomas Connolly, University of Paisley, UK; Information Science Reference, May 2009
• Saridaki, M. (2008) Digital games and educational theories for users with cognitive disabilities: games as a therapeutic tool, at the national symposium «Cognitive and emotional parameters in e-learning» part of the 2nd National Conference of Cognitive Psychology, Thessaloniki 6-9 November 2008
• Saridaki, M., Gouscos, D. (2008) Applying Digital Game Based Learning Solutions to the Primary and Special Classroom: Results from Field Studies at the 2nd European Conference on Games Based Learning, 16-17 October 2008, Barcelona, Spain
• Saridaki, M. Gouscos, D., Meimaris, M. (2008) Digital Game-Based Learning for Students with Mild Mental Retardation: The EPINOISI Project», at EUTIC 2008 International Colloquium– The dynamics of development: at the crossroads of the world, 22 – 25 October 2008, Lisbon, Portugal