Programme Director of Games
Neil is Programme Director of Games at the University for the Creative Arts. He has responsibility for undergraduate and postgraduate game degrees and teaches across both 2D and 3D games arts. He’s an experienced lecturer and course leader, having taught 3D graphics in different settings for over 20 years. He has worked at several UK universities and colleges, leading degree programmes across all disciplines and has extensive experience of computer games curriculum development and accreditation.
Bio
Neil joined UCA in 2023 as Senior Lecturer in Game Art and became Programme Director in 2024.
Prior to joining UCA, he worked as Course Leader in Games at Southampton Solent University. He oversaw and helped to redesign computer games programmes, including writing the UK’s first dedicated Virtual Reality degrees. He also previously worked at Staffordshire University as Studio Manager of the student Commercial Studio, and taught 3D graphics at the University of Central England.
Before becoming a full-time lecturer, Neil worked as a freelance artist and animator for the games, tv and film, arch viz and engineering industries. He worked initially as a 2D animator, but quickly moved to roles as a 3D environmental artist, and later as a digital sculptor.
Neil holds a first degree In Historical Studies from Goldsmiths College, University of London, and an MA in VFX with Distinction from Staffordshire University.
As part of his Masters studies, he designed a mixed reality simulation recreation of the Anfiteatro Campano archaeological site in southern Italy, the first full graphical recreation of this since the 1860s. This project led to Neil being awarded funding from the European Regional Development Fund, which he used to set up his own a business designing Augmented Reality apps and visualisations in 2016.
Neil has created artwork for a number of cultural heritage sites in Italy and the UK. Most recently he participated in the ‘To the Roar of the Crowd’ (2023) and ‘Building the Wall’ (2022) exhibitions at Segedunum, Roman Fort Museum at Hadrian’s Wall.
Research statement
Neil is currently in the early stages of studying for his PhD where he aims to continue the historical recreation work he started as part of his MA. He is focussed on the use of real-time technologies, procedurally generated content and AI as means of counteracting historical presentism.
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Virtual and Augmented Reality (undergraduate). Staffordshire University (2021-2023).
- To the Roar of the Crowd. 2023. Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum.
- Building the Wall. 2022. Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum.
- Roman Circus VR. 2021. South Shields Museum & Art Gallery.
- Arbeia Trail. 2019. Arbeia Roman Fort.
- Campanian Amphitheatre (audio/visual app). 2018. Anfiteatro Campano, SMCV.
- Roman Games (mixed media animation). 2018. National Centre for the Written Word.
- Interactive AR Postcards. 2017-19. Augment This Ltd.