Hazel Dixon

I am a PhD researcher based within Open Lab and the Population Health Science Institute. My current research focuses on how we can use embodiment, playful design, and co-creation for the design and delivery of Sex and Relationships Education.

During my PhD research, I have worked with multiple stakeholders who are involved in sexual health around Newcastle to design escape rooms and immersive experiences. In this way, my research seeks to understand organisaitions and their values as well as how immersive, embodied experiences can aid in the delivery of sex and relationships education. Because of this, my research interests have an overlap in HCI, immersive design, education, and public health. I am also interested in how disability justice and accessibility can be incorporated within the build of technology.

I have also worked professionally as an escape room designer and have built games for local and international projects. I worked on the Escape to the Future project for the IFRC and also lead the design of Lily of Lumley - an escape room built into a castle telling the history of the castle and the ghosts that reside within it. Additionally, I have worked as a user experience researcher for a variety of corporate and government research projects leading research strategies for complex projects. In 2020, I was granted Fellowship status of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufacturing, and Commerce (FRSA status).