A Slippery Rock University faculty member is at the forefront of esports research and international collaboration that is shaping the future of competitive gaming. Seth Jenny, an SRU associate professor of exercise science, was chair of the 2025 Online Esports Research Network Conference. From Nov. 12-14, the event was livestreamed across the world non-stop, 24 hours per day.
The Esports Research Network, founded in July 2019, is made up of more than 650 researchers from over 65 countries, all of which are focused on interdisciplinary research into the ever-growing spectacle of organized competitive gaming through esports. Research is used to build a better understanding of esports, its potential social impact and its future role in society, as well as create a sustainable environment for esports to flourish.
As a board member for the ERN, Jenny chaired in leading the organization’s conference that involved 110 presentations with 164 different presenters, all spanning 33 countries from the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia. More than 64 hours were livestreamed with 90,782 minutes watched by over 1,000 unique viewers. Jenny was integral in securing a sponsorship deal with Corsair Gaming Inc., which provided livestreaming equipment for the conference and compensation for student workers who helped produce and broadcast the event.
SRU served as one of the regional streaming hubs for the conference, along with Michigan State University, the University of Staffordshire and the University of New South Wales.
SRU students who contributed included Emma Pruett, a senior English writing major from Irwin (Hempfield HS), and Brodey Hauer, a freshman strategic communication and media major from Harrisburg (Susquehanna Township HS).
Jenny delivered the opening remarks for the event, and he later introduced the presentation for the Collegiate Esports Medical Support Model, a model designed to support college students who play video games. This presentation outlined key medical considerations for collegiate esports players, provided context on the collegiate esports environment, and introduced the primary health, wellness, and medical support systems typically involved.
More information about the conference and the Esports Research Network can be found online. More information about the esports minor at SRU is available on the program’s webpage.
