Professor Stefan Greuter
Details
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Department: School of Design
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Campus: City Campus Australia
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stefan.greuter@rmit.edu.au
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ORCID:
0000-0001-5487-0237
About
Professor Stefan Greuter is a Professor (Digital Design) at RMIT University. An interaction designer, game designer, educator, and research leader, Stefan's work is at the forefront of interactive screen experiences. His research integrates game design, immersive technologies, and the creative application of emerging technology to develop effective solutions in serious games, simulations, and engaging user experiences.
In November 2025 he commenced as Deputy Director of the Centre for Digital Ecosystems (CODE) in the School of Design. CODE designs complex interactive simulations that support natural, cultural and social ecosystems. Its research spans system complexities, dynamic interfaces, hybrid environments, cultural practices and emerging economies, with teams working closely with industry, community and policy partners. In this role Stefan works with the Centre Director, Professor Deb Polson, to advance CODE’s interdisciplinary research agenda, strengthen strategic partnerships across cultural, scientific, government and industry domains, and support projects that contribute to environmental, cultural and societal regeneration.
Stefan's research brings together interaction design, game design, immersive screen experiences, and technology to develop solutions that result in serious game applications and playable user experiences.
For over two decades, Stefan has been active in the field, leading research into interactive digital media, virtual and augmented reality, and motion capture. He was the founding Director of the Centre for Game Design Research (CGDR) at RMIT University from 2014-2017, and later directed the Deakin Motion Lab (DML) from 2020, an industry-facing interdisciplinary research community focused on digital screen experiences, where his leadership generated significant research income. His work translates into real-world impact, exemplified by the HYDAC multi-user mobile mixed-reality training platform and the digital transformation of the Malthouse Theatre's 'Because the Night' performance into an interactive experience.
Stefan has demonstrated effective academic leadership, serving a six-year tenure as Associate Dean at RMIT University, where he managed five Animation, Games, and Digital Media programs and co-designed the popular Bachelor of Design (Digital Media). He is a Review Editor for the Frontier Journal, a Steering Committee Member for the CHI Play Conference, and an ARC Detailed Assessor for various Australian Research Council grants. He is also a keynote speaker on topics such as "Designing virtual user experiences that shape real-world actions" and "Immersive, Playable Experiences and Their Real-world Impact."
Research fields
- 330310 Interaction and experience design
- 460708 Virtual and mixed reality
Supervisor projects
- Enhancing Human-Centred Wayfinding Design through Virtual Reality and Imitation Learning
- 27 Nov 2025
- Designing a Metaverse Hydraulics Skills Learning Environment
- 12 Nov 2025
- Developing the Design Mapping Toolkit: A Co-Design Approach to Aligning Human-Centred Design and Health Research
- 11 Nov 2025
- Interactive Digital Avatars in Virtual Production
- 30 Sep 2025
- Mind You!: A Card Game Design for Learning the Pragmatics of a Second Language
- 1 Apr 2019
Teaching interests
Stefan lectures in the Master of Animation, Games and Interactivity in the School of Design at RMIT. He teaches a Work Integrated Learning workshop that engages students in collaborative projects with industry partners. The workshop introduces students to sectors beyond the creative industries and demonstrates how their skills apply in diverse professional contexts. This broadened awareness strengthens students’ preparedness for professional practice and supports the development of workplace behaviours that enable a successful transition into employment.
Industry projects also function as a testing ground for new ideas and proof-of-concept development. They enable exploratory work that can inform subsequent research within the Centre for Digital Ecosystems and may create pathways for capable graduates to progress promising concepts into doctoral study. Continued engagement with industry partners builds trust, reliability and a track record that are essential for securing collaborative research grants that require evidence of sustained partnership.
Recent MAGI collaborations illustrate the value of cross-sector project work. In 2025 these included the development of a mixed-reality chemistry prototype with RMIT’s STEM Centre, contributions to a VR-based hydraulics training solution with HYDAC, the conceptualisation of a new VR exhibition with Shaun Gladwell, and the visualisation of train stations on a mobile platform in collaboration with Suburban Rail Loop and IT students. These projects spanned varied development stages and technology readiness levels, providing students with experience in emerging technologies and contemporary industry workflows.
Research interests
Stefan's research brings together interaction design, game design, immersive screen experiences and emerging technologies to develop serious games, simulations and playable user experiences.
For more than two decades he has led research in interactive digital media, virtual and augmented reality and motion capture. He was the founding Director of the Centre for Game Design Research at RMIT University from 2014 to 2017, and later Director of the Deakin Motion Lab from 2020, an industry-facing interdisciplinary research community focused on digital screen experiences, where his leadership generated significant research income. His work has delivered real-world impact, including the research translation of the now commercially available HYDAC multi-user mobile mixed-reality training platform and the digital transformation of the Malthouse Theatre’s Because the Night into an interactive experience.
Stefan is also a Chief Investigator on the ARC Discovery project Streets for people: Design for active travel among children and youth (DP260101630), led by Professor Anna Timperio at Deakin University. The project investigates street characteristics that support safe, active and sustainable travel for young people and aligns closely with CODE’s research focus on digital ecosystems that contribute to social and environmental wellbeing.
He has made substantial scholarly contributions, with over 100 research outputs (NTROS and TROs) in interaction design, virtual reality and serious games. His work appears in CORE A and A-ranked conferences and Scimago Q1 journals, including CHI, DIS and CHI Play. He has 1,710 citations, an h-index of 18 and an i10-index of 32, and his research has been recognised by 14 awards, including an Australian Good Design Gold Award in 2024 and the CHI Play 2022 Best Experimental Gameplay Award. He has supervised 12 PhD candidates to completion.
