Academic Staff

I am an Emeritus Fellow in the School of Art & Design and also a member of the Culture & Society Research Hub; along with the European Culture and Technology Laboratory at the European University of Technology (EUt+). I am also co-director of the VR Lab at Çağ University in Türkiye.

At TU Dublin I previously served as Strategic Lead for EUt+, Director & Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, and Head of the School of Art & Design where I was engaged in shaping the future of higher education across borders.

Since joining the university in 1994 my career has been marked by innovation, leadership, and a dedication to nurturing talent. Highlights include the development of the East Quad as home of Arts and Humanities at the university’s new Dublin city centre campus in Grangegorman; and establishing the BA in Visual Art programme, delivered in Sherkin Island, which attracted significant attention with the formal visit by President of Ireland Mary McAleese to the island for the conferring of degree awards in 2010.

In addition, I led the development of the professional Master of Arts programme aimed at a strategic bolstering of the Irish design sector; and developed the module Virtual Environments: Is one life enough? which is delivered entirely in the virtual world Second Life®. My contributions to education have been recognised with awards such as the Jennifer Burke Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning.

Before joining the university I co-founded Information Design in Dublin to work with national and international clients. My involvement with representative bodies, including the Institute of Designers in Ireland, Design Business Ireland, and the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, demonstrate my commitment to advancing the design industry. As a member of various boards and advisory groups, I have influenced educational and industry standards while advocating for the growth of design in Ireland.

My main research interests are the use of VR and AI in education and access for all.