News

The University of Waterloo’s Interdisciplinary Network for Esports (UWIN-Esports) was delighted to host Dr. InHyeok Jeong, Assistant Professor at the Kochi University of Technology in Japan and member of the university’s Research Center for Brain Communication, for an engaging Community of Practice (CoP) session on October 23, 2025. His talk examined how gaze control and cortical (brain) activity influence expert performance in esports, revealing the physiological mechanisms behind focus, reaction time, and in-game decision-making. Drawing on experimental data from esports athletes in Japan, Dr. Jeong discussed how science-based training methods—including biofeedback and brain stimulation—can enhance performance and concentration under real-world competitive conditions. 

Applications are now open for the Ontario Esports Scholarship, offering awards of $2,500–$5,000 to high-achieving students with financial need who are pursuing studies related to gaming or esports, with a deadline of October 20, 2025.

The University of Waterloo’s Interdisciplinary Network for Esports (UWIN-Esports) is contributing to the 2025 Call of Duty League Championship Weekend at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, the first time the global event is hosted outside the U.S. UWIN researchers are leading a study on the economic, social, and community impacts of large-scale esports events.

The University of Waterloo’s Interdisciplinary Network for Esports (UWIN-Esports) held another Community of Practice (CoP) presentation at 10:00 a.m. on April 10, 2025 (Thursday). We were very glad to have Kaushall Senthil Nathan as our presenter this time. Kaushall is a Master's student pursuing a degree in Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, under the supervision of Dr. Lennart Nacke and Dr. Daniel Harley in the Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Games lab. Kaushall's main goal for research is to enhance the medium of video games. 

Curious about our new Gaming Lounge located in PAC 2021? Discover the new Gaming Lounge in PAC 2021, featuring PCs, consoles, and VR, open weekdays from 12–10 p.m. with flexible passes and esports programming.  

At this UWIN Community of Practice (CoP) presentation on November 14, 2024, Dr. Shinyong (Shawn) Jung, an Assistant Professor, and Jijun (Jackie) Chen, a Ph.D. candidate at the White Lodging - J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue University, discussed the potential of in-person gatherings to mitigate toxic behaviors, foster community building, and enhance social inclusion, and how meaningful social interactions and the fulfillment of psychological needs at esports events can promote inclusivity. 

At this UWIN Community of Practice (CoP) presentation on August 14, 2024, Jack Fenton, Head of Esports at the University of Warwick, discussed with the audience his report titled "A case for community actions; Esports, older players, mental health and social isolation" and shared ESG Gaming's ambitions for the future.