Start your imagination engines with Dr Chris Skinner

Hello! I am Dr Chris Skinner, a Lecturer of Geography at York St John University, and international Geoscience Games Master. I specialise in the use of numerical models and games for understanding how the world around us works.

I see both models and games as ‘imagination engines’. They simulate worlds and systems and – through the stories they help us tell – show us things that are otherwise invisible. This could be transporting us to the future to see the impacts of sea level rise or putting us in the shoes of a young person affected by flooding.

A photo of me outside the an old building holding up a York St John University hoodie.

On this website you can learn more about me, my work, and possibly about how we might work together. Check out the Experience tab to find out more about my teaching, research publications, articles and blog posts, presenting and public speaking, and my science communication exhibits.

My approaches are informed by my unsual and winding career and have worked across the science-policy-practice nexus. This includes being an independent research fellow working on flood risk modelling and science communication, and nearly five years as a senior hydrologist for England’s Environment Agency.

I am self-diagnosed ADHD and this has shaped the diversity and nature of my work. I see things as systems and make connections that others often miss. I love to try new things and get excited by innovation and disrupting entrenched paradigms. Mostly, I am enthusiastic about sharing the things I find interesting and seeking creative ways to do this. Creativity, playfulness, and imagination are core features of my work.

My current projects include:

GAME-Based Approaches in Geoscience (GAMEBag) – GAMEBag is a portfolio of work and sub-projects, each investigating how we use games and game-based approaches to advance research, pedagogy, and communication of geosciences. It includes:

  • Adventures in Model Land – a system to build game worlds for tabletop roleplay games (TTRPGs) based on numerical models.
  • Games for Geoscience – I am the Geoscience Games Master and lead convenor for the annual Games for Geoscience and Geoscience Games Night sessions at the European Geoscience Union General Assembly.
  • Models without Maths – a series of workshops adopting creative methods that build understanding of numerical models for non-modellers.
  • Rooted in Crisis – Rooted in Crisis is an anthology of tabletop roleplay games co-created by environmental scientists and professional games designers.

Play your Research – Imagination is a crucial skill for researchers yet we often do little to learn, develop, and hone it. My workshops are inspired by the LEGO(R) Serious Play(R) system and use creative methods to help research groups embrace their imaginations.

A table filled with Lego and models and surrounded by people
Making models with York St John’s Geography staff.

NERC EMBRACE-Enviro – I am co-lead for this project funded by NERC’s Opening up the Environment call. It is working with individuals from refugee and migrant communities in York to help them develop new science skills and access environmental careers. I am delivering creative workshops on science communication.

GeoSkinner YouTube Channels – I create and share videos on themes of flooding, numerical modelling, and gaming. Occasionally all three together. There’s also GeoSkinner 360 with all my 360 content, and Extra Life, which is more random.

Project Prospero – For something a little different, this is a hobby project. I am building a Warhammer-themed train set inspired by the burning of Prospero narrative. It’s a different sort of combining games and models!

If you’d like to know more then reach out via the Contact page.