Dr Matthew Barr he/him

My research covers a wide range of topics related to education, from game-based learning to work-based learning. I currently lead the Computing Science Education section within the School of Computing Science, which will shortly expand to include the Software Engineering group that focuses on the real-world application of computing in industry.

The new ‘Education and Practice’ section will incorporate the School’s external engagement with both schools and industry. At the centre of this is our Graduate Apprenticeship (GA) in Software Engineering programme, which offers work-based learning in collaboration with industry partners. As Programme Director for the GA, there are opportunities for research projects that involve collaboration with industry partners.

The GA is also about widening participation in higher education. I routinely visit local schools in more deprived areas of the city to promote this opportunity to earn a wage while studying for a degree. Indeed, my most recent paper is about how the apprenticeship programme can widen participation.

As a supervisor, I am particularly concerned with the well-being of my PhD students, some of whom are about to graduate after a particularly challenging few years. Most of my current PhDs are working on interdisciplinary games projects, and I’d be open to supervising a project in this area, too – particularly something related to video games and well-being (on which I have also published).

In addition to my widening participation work with the GA, I also run the Ada Scotland Festival (ada.scot), which aims to improve gender balance in computing science (another area in which I’ve published). I have also been involved in two Athena SWAN applications, and sit on our School’s EDI Committee. Through ada.scot – for which I have secured funding from industry partners – I have good connections with EDI organisations across Scotland. I also act as mentor for an underprivileged young person through MCR Pathways.

I haven’t followed a traditional route to academia myself. I worked outside of the university before completing my PhD, and I’ve since worked across disciplines and in a range of different job roles. I think this gives me a unique, outward-looking perspective, which is perhaps why I am so interested in working with others from less traditional backgrounds.