The School of Digital Arts has a wide range of over 40 supervisors with research expertise in both theory and practice based PhDs in creative media and media culture. The following staff are actively engaged in individual and in group research projects and use their research experience to help guide you in your PhD journey.
Professors in SODA
Professor Kirsty Fairclough
Professor in Screen Studies
Professor Toby Heys
Professor of Digital Media
Readers in SODA
Dr Jo Briggs
Reader in User Experience
Dr Jason Hockman
Reader in User Experience
Dr Jenny Holt
Reader in Filmmaking
Dr Duncan Woolridge
Reader in Photography
SODA research staff
Dr Gabriele Aroni
Senior Lecturer, Game Art
Research interests: Intersection of architecture, game studies, cultural heritage, and semiotics
Dr Jenny Baines
Senior Lecturer, Filmmaking
Research interests: Filmmaking, art film, documentary, performance
Debbie Ballin
Senior Lecturer, Filmmaking
Research interests: Documentary filmmaking
Dr Danny Cookney
Senior Lecturer, UX & Web Design
Research interests: Media and design: record cover design, music video and portrait photography
Chris Daniels
Senior Lecturer, Filmmaking
Research interests: Art film, documentary filmmaking
Loran Dunn
Senior Lecturer, Filmmaking
Research interests: Underrepresented voices in cinema and creative producing
Dr Julian Holloway
Senior Lecturer
Research interests: Human geography and spirituality and the occult; sound and the sonic apprehension of space and place; spectrality, haunting and monstrosity.
Dr David Jackson
Senior Lecturer, Digital Visualisation
Research interests: Artificial Intelligence and Digital Storytelling, Object Based Media, Virtual Production
David Jackson
Senior Lecturer, Filmmaking
Research interests: film and photography and the politics of space
Dr Frances Johnson
Senior Lecturer, Information Retrieval Systems
Research interests: Information Retrieval Systems, Digital Semantics, information access and discovery
Dr Evie Lucas
Senior Lecturer, Digital Media and Communications
Research interests: Media, Communication and Cultural Studies
Johnny Magee
Principal Lecturer
Research interests: Documentation Art
Dr Katie Milestone
Senior Lecturer in Sociology
Research interests: Sociology of media and culture
Dr Sara Nesteruk (FRSA)
Senior Lecturer, UX & Web Design
Research interests: Graphic design, data visualisation and visual identity with a particular interest in digital histories from Ukraine.
Dr Susan O’Shea
Senior Lecturer in Sociology
Research interests: Punk, feminism, statistical approaches to cultural phenomena
Dr David Penny
Senior Lecturer, Photography
Research interests: Expanded field of photography incorporating 3D print, sculptural practice and moving image
Dr Elisa Serafinelli
Senior Lecturer, Digital media & communication
Research interests: Digital Photography, Cyberculture, and Identity Online
Alasdair Swenson
Senior Lecturer, Future Media Production
Research interests: Virtual production, immersive technology (XR, VR, AR)
Mark Thomas
Senior Lecturer, Filmmaking
Research interests: Experimental filmmaking, large-scale AV projects and installations
Dr Babar Suleman
Senior Lecturer, Filmmaking
Research interests: Moving image and new media and relationship to coloniality, marginalised identities and self-determination.
Dr Sabah Boustila
Lecturer, UX & Web Design
Research interests: UX and web design
Dr Neil Bruce
Lecturer, Sound & Music
Research interests: Spatial field recording, and building and designing immersive soundscape simulators
Adam Cooke
Lecturer, Future Media Production
Research interests: Design, data literacy, young people and participation, social science research methods with research through design practice
Dr Kirsty Fife
Lecturer, iSchool
Research interests: Intersection between information, DIY culture (zines, music communities, grassroots spaces) and other forms of activism
Sarah Howe
Lecturer, Photography
Research interests: Photography, writing, moving image and installation, voices of the marginalised within academic and arts organisations
Michail Oustamanolakis
Lecturer, UX & Web Design
Research interests: Creativity in Entrepreneurship Education, UX and Web design
Dr Rob Potts
Lecturer, UX & Web Design
Research interests: Design thinking, collaborative innovation, at the thresholds of learning, design and leadership
Dr Rosie Reed Hillman
Lecturer, Filmmaking
Research interests: Visual ethnography and film as an art practice
Doctoral students currently supervising: Yes
Dr Zofija Tupikovskaja-Omovie
Lecturer, UX & Web Design
Research interests: User Experience, UX Methods, eye tracking, design and audience
Dr Geoff Walton
Senior Lecturer, Information and Communication
Research interests: Information literacy, digital literacy, information discernment, information behaviour, e-learning, misinformation and volunteering in public libraries.
Dr Chris Whiter
Lecturer, Sound & Music
Research interests: Studio composition: compositional and improvisational approaches