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Written by Georgia Donta.
When I first began my career as a lawyer in Greece, I could not have imagined that one day I would be researching biometric privacy in the Metaverse or working alongside innovative tech companies in the North East of England. Yet, looking back, the path feels surprisingly natural.
For about a decade, I had been practising law through my own law firm in Greece, navigating complex legal cases and developing my client portfolio. After the completion of my Master's degree in "Law and Informatics", my curiosity was growing about how technology was reshaping the legal landscape. Questions kept emerging like "How do we regulate what we barely understand? What happens when data becomes something as personal and continuous as our own behaviour?" These questions stayed with me and in combination with a Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, ultimately led me back to university (abroad this time), pursuing my PhD at Durham University Business School.
A research journey shaped by curiosity and complexity
My research focuses on biometric privacy in immersive environments such as the Metaverse, virtual spaces where data is not collected occasionally, but continuously. Unlike traditional systems, where biometric data is used briefly (for example, to unlock a device for identification and access), immersive technologies rely on constant streams of highly sensitive information, including eye movements, facial expressions, voice patterns and behavioural signals. These data flows can enable applications ranging from emotional analysis and profiling to more concerning risks, such as identity manipulation or misuse (e.g. deepfake technologies).
What interests me most is not only how to strengthen biometric privacy protection, but how biometric privacy itself is understood and shaped by different actors. Only by examining these perspectives can we identify what is truly missing in practice and develop more meaningful and effective protections, especially in such complex environments as the Metaverse.
My research therefore explores how different stakeholders of these immersive worlds (like users, developers, companies, compliance experts or regulators) collectively interpret, negotiate and define what biometric privacy means within these environments. In many ways, it is a story about uncertainty, power and sensemaking in a rapidly evolving digital world.
Sunderland Software City in my academic journey
I first became aware of Sunderland Software City through its Immersive Lab at Eldon Square, an accessible and dynamic space that hosted a wide range of immersive events. The work taking place there closely aligned with my research interests and I immediately recognised its unique value. This motivated me to pursue a secondment with the organisation.
What truly made the experience stand out, however, was not only the extensive network SSC provides, but the people themselves. From my very first day, I was welcomed into an environment that was exceptionally supportive, kind, and genuinely friendly. There is a warmth within SSC that makes collaboration feel both effortless and meaningful.
Through the many immersive events and industry engagements organised by SSC, I was able to step directly into the world I had previously only studied from a distance. Innovation was no longer abstract. It became tangible, unfolding in real time and shaped by real people addressing real challenges.
Bringing together two worlds: law and innovation
During my secondment at Sunderland Software City, I began exploring a question that sits at the intersection of my dual identity as a lawyer and a researcher: Is compliance in AI-driven SMEs a barrier to innovation, or can it instead act as an enabler?
AI is one of the most rapidly evolving and influential technologies today, closely intertwined with immersive systems such as the Metaverse. Engaging directly with regional SMEs allowed me to reflect on the practical realities of navigating compliance while striving to innovate.
This experience proved transformative. It encouraged me to think beyond the boundaries of legal theory and to position myself within the regional innovation ecosystem. I gained a deeper understanding of the pressures, uncertainties, and ambitions faced by SMEs, and how regulation is experienced in practice, not merely as a set of rules on paper.
At the same time, SSC's exceptional network has been invaluable to my PhD. It has supported my data collection, facilitated meaningful conversations, and enabled me to ground my research in lived, real-world experience.
A different way of working and thinking
Coming from academia, what surprised me most was the pace and energy of the innovation environment. At SSC, ideas move quickly (from concept to application), often in ways that challenge traditional academic timelines and systematically address practical concerns and difficulties, aiming to support regional innovation.
Yet, what stood out even more was the human aspect. SSC is deeply people-oriented. Conversations are open, the environment is inclusive, collaboration is encouraged, and there is a genuine willingness to support each other.
I have not just gained insights here; I feel part of a community. And that sense of belonging makes all the difference.
What I continuously take away is…
…a truly broader perspective! One that bridges theory and practice, law and innovation, research and real-world application, all organised in such a professional way.
This experience has strengthened my belief that effective governance of emerging technologies cannot happen in isolation. It must be shaped through dialogue, collaboration and mutual understanding between all stakeholders.
I would wholeheartedly recommend a secondment like this to other researchers. It is an opportunity not only to expand your research by engaging with industrial experience, but also to rethink how knowledge is created and applied in practice.
A final reflection
My time at Sunderland Software City has shown me that innovation and governance are not opposing forces. They evolve together through collaboration, dialogue and shared understanding.
Most importantly, this journey has been shaped by the people at SSC, whose support, kindness and openness made this experience not only productive but truly memorable.
