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Researchers in Healthier Lives

Our team includes staff from all Faculties in the University.

Professor Dave Kirk

Prof of Human Centred Design

  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 20 84630
  • Address: School of Computing
    Newcastle University
    Open Lab,
    Urban Sciences Building
    Newcastle Helix
    NE4 5TG
Background

I am Professor of Human Centred Design and Director of Open Lab. My work focuses on the design of interactive computational technologies. I’m particularly interested in design research methods and the ways in which technology design can be centred on the rich understanding of user experiences, cultures and contexts. I have particular research interests in designing for smart environments, human-data futures and digital living.

I previously held positions as Professor of Digital Living at Northumbria University; Senior Lecturer of Experience-Centred Design and then Reader in Cultural Computing at Newcastle University; Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction in the Mixed Reality Lab and School of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham; and was a post-doc in the Socio-Digital Systems group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.

My background:

BSc (Hons) Psychology (York)

MSc Ergonomics (Loughborough)

PhD Computer Science (Nottingham)

Over the years my work has been heavily influenced by interdisciplinary collaborations with sociologists, philosophers and designers and consequently I take a design-led, social science orientation to understanding human experience and its application to the design of digital technologies. Accordingly, and although trained as an experimental scientist, my research is increasingly based on exploratory design-research practices.


Research

I have a number of research interests across broad areas of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) and Ubiquitous Computing (ubicomp).

In particular I have a background in research around collaborative technologies such as video-mediated communication; technologies in support of human memory and remembering and the archiving of digital data, including technologies for the home and domestic spaces; digital humanities work around cultural heritage artefacts and physical-digital hybrids and most recently around Human-Building Interaction and the development of interactive data-rich living and working spaces. I also retain broad interests in Digital Civics and the design and development of sustainable technologies to support civic engagement and citizen empowerment.


I am currently Principal Investigator (PI) for the following projects:

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Digital Civics [EP/L016176/1]

EPSRC Next Stage Digital Economy Centre for Digital Citizens - [EP/T022582/1]



Teaching

I currently lead CSC8606 : Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction and UX on our MSc in Human-Computer Interaction. I also contribute to various other undergraduate and masters level modules within the school, and supervise undergraduate and masters level dissertation projects.

I also lead our Digital Civics - Centre for Doctoral Training.

 
Publications