Shaun Macdonald
@shaunmacdonald
⌨️HCI Post-Doc Researcher 🏴 PhD from @uofglasgow.bsky.social 🤖Animal Computer Interaction, Zoomorphic Robots, Affective Haptics, Usable Security 🎮Competitive Gamer, Art Enjoyer, Hope-low Leftist ♂️He/Him 🔗shaun-macdonald-hci.owlstown.net
“Bright” and early today as I take the coach to Edinburgh Zoo to become inducted as a researcher as part of FutureFauna. It’s going to be an intensive month as I run my first ever animal-computer interaction studies with the chimpanzees at the zoo’s Budungo Trail. Pretty excited but also nervous!
I have two painted by close friends, an expanded border original Azusa from 2011, and an alter by @kyemelo.bsky.social from Ashnod that turns her into Five Pebbles from my favourite game Rain World
It's my first solo Ascension 10 victory in Slay the Spire 2 with likely the most disgusting Flak Cannon status deck I will ever assemble 🤖🗑️
Went to the Scottish Owl Centre with my folks to see some of their adoptees. Largest owl sanctuary in the world, lots of lovely beasts :)
North Glasgow March Against Racism, needed now as much as ever ✊
Haven’t gotten to play competitive Pokémon much since my brief stint as a high-ranked Smogon ladder player as a teenager in ‘08, really enjoying jumping back in with Champions!
Made this little pompom bee at a Worry Object craft cafe run by Glasgow uni’s SolidariTee (@teesofsolidarity.bsky.social) branch. Went along because of my research interests in haptic comfort objects, but didn’t expect I’d also make one! Cool event, good cause, good soc :)
M12S cleared only _slightly_ late. First 12 I have cleared on curve since E12S! Very happy :)
Lovely work meeting at Edinburgh Zoo today as we kicked our research collaboration as part of FutureFauna. Everybody was very excited except for this Koala who is just completely done.
Miserable about the Glasgow Central fire. Nobody was injured, which is a blessing, but what was lost was homes, shops, and memories. Moreso than maybe any other building in Glasgow, if you lived or visited here, you likely have interacted with Central. It was an icon. The city won't be the same.
My 9 MTG Cards All represent level-up moments. Azusa, Inner Fire, Altar, Arcbound Ravager and Mayhem Devil all radically change the value/meaning of other cards. Smokestack, Thalia taught me about breaking parity. Delay and Incubator taught me to assess whether drawbacks actually matter.
Very proud to help celebrate LGBTQ+ history month here at the @glasgow.ac.uk School of Computing Science by producing this set of posters highlighting five historic figures from the community, alongside the EDI committee 🏳️🌈❤️ Hard to be optimistic sometimes these days, but their achievements help
Waiting for me when I got home from having to work this weekend from my lovely valentine x
Our Safety Clinics for Online Gaming and Social VR for Young People (12-17) and Parents/Carers hits Edinburgh tomorrow! Drop by the Eric Liddell Community Centre (south wing) between 10am and 4pm to take part! Adults attending with young people will also be compensated £20 for max 1 hr.
Our Safety Clinic for Online Gaming and Social VR for Young People (12-17) and Parents/Carers is running today at the University of Glasgow from 3 - 7pm! Drop in at the Sir Alwyn Williams Building! Adults attending with young people will be compensated £10 per 30m (max 1 hr).
M11S cleared, getting revenge for my Behemoth wipe in Palace Floor 180 over 2 years ago
Back from two weeks across central Japan! I’ll post more photos and stuff soon, but here are some teasers :)
Goodbye Liquorice, the cat I named and part of our family since 19 and a half years ago. You’ve been part of my life and world since before I was an adult. Love you ❤️
Trying to keep awake as I approach my 1am taxi for my 4am flight. It’s kind of like following in my father’s footsteps, except I’m not flying the plane.