Qualifications:
Sept 1986 to June 1989:
B.A. (hons.) Communication Studies – Coventry Polytechnic, Class: 2.1
September 1991 to Dec 1992:
M.A. in Communication Design (Graphic Design for Interactive Media) Manchester Metropolitan University
September 2008 to Jan 2011:
M.A. in Creative Writing – University of Manchester
Current Employment:
January 2011 – present
Lecturer in Digital Journalism at Leeds Metropolitan University, BA Journalism, BSc Photojournalism
Explicit Responsibilities:
Module leader: Introduction to Digital Journalism
Module leader: Professional Portfolio
Module leader: Online Journalism and Design
Module tutor: Visual Media
Module leader: Digital Journalism
Module leader: Visual Communication
September 1996 – present:
Freelance New Media Journalist.
Publications contributed to include:
- Computer Arts
- .net Magazine
- PC Format
- Macworld
- PC Plus
- The Guardian
Corporate clients have included:
- Apple
- Adobe
- Somerfield
- Royal Bank of Scotland
- Hewlett Packard
- Three Mobile
Much of my written work is about the web and communication technologies. A strong academic background makes me particularly suited to writing investigative or speculative features that analyse the culture and rituals of Internet use, emerging technologies and the process of designing interfaces for human-computer interaction. I also produce web authoring tutorials, opinion editorial and reviews.
The fee for consumer and corporate publications can be negotiated on an ad hoc basis
Previous Employment:
September 1993 to June 1997:
Lecturer in Communication Studies, Edge Hill University College, BA Communication Studies.
Explicit Responsibilities:
• Module Co-ordinator COM 205: Communication, Culture and Technology.
• Module Co-ordinator COM 206: Studying New Media.
• Module Co-ordinator COM 207: Critical Media Theory
• Module Co-ordinator COM 209: Digital Media Production.
• Module Co-ordinator COM 102: Mass Communication.
1st Year Co-ordinator, Communication Studies.
3rd Year Dissertation Tutor
World Wide Web and Internet Design Consultancy Co-ordinator
Specialisms: Film, New Media Theory, Interactive Media Production.
Skills:
50 WPM Touch Typing.
High level of competence with Macintosh (OS X) and PC (DOS and Windows 9*/NT/2K/XP/Vista/7) application environments including;
- Word processing, Office and DTP packages.
- Cloud services
- Graphics and imaging packages (Photoshop, Illustrator in particular).
- Audio manipulation software including sound samplers, mixers, midi sequencing and trackers.
- Advanced web authoring skills in raw HTML, JavaScript and CSS.
- Expertise with web authoring tools, including Adobe Dreamweaver.
- UNIX skills to administrator level, including familiarity with Web server configuration.
After sixteen years on the Net, I also have a familiarity with a variety of protocols and applications including P2P tools, virtual environments, chat applications, Telnet, FTP, Usenet, mailing lists, email and web authoring tools.
Milestones:
• First Web page published circa October 1992. Approx. 200 Web servers in the world.
• Publication of post-graduate dissertation – “The Mirrored Screen: Interface Design for Domestic Interactive Multimedia Systems”, December 1992.
• Designed and taught UK’s first undergraduate level modules in New Media Theory, commencing September 1993.
• First graphic Web Page published, circa March – April 1994 (optimised for Mosaic!).
• Designed and taught UK’s first undergraduate level modules in Digital Media Design and Production (including Web design), commencing September 1994 . Started using Web to disseminate teaching materials.
• Appointed Media Judge for the 1995 Global Multimedia Challenge at the International Youth Skill Olympics in Paris.
• First peer-reviewed academic publication: “When Worlds Collide: Postmodernity, Cultural Studies and Science Fiction”, November 1995
• Paper delivered at ‘The Fantastic’ :Academic Science Fiction and Fantasy Conference, University of Hull, November 1995
• First commercial publication, issue 2 of Computer Arts, August 1996.
• Left employment as a University Lecturer to take up writing full-time, June 1997.
• Designed and built first web presence for Somerfield Stores, June 1998.
• Publication of the Complete Flash MX Handbook, June 2003.
• “Mr. Twain” blog at nerve.com goes viral, 2006-2008
• Returned to post-graduate education, September 2008
• Appointed lecturer in digital journalism, Leeds Metropolitan University, January 2011
• Awarded MA in Creative Writing, January 2011
Leisure:
Live music
Creative writing
Squash
Chi Kung