About

I am a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science here at the University of Derby and a member of the Computer Games Team.

Teaching responsibilities

I currently teach a number of modules across several courses which include level 4 Introduction to Computer Science, Level 5 Graphics and Level 6 Enterprise Systems in addition to supervising both final year and MSc projects. 

Previously I have led modules teaching User Experience (UX) Engineering, Mixed Reality Systems, Internet and Web Technologies, Software Engineering for VR and UX Engineering for Immersive Systems.

Professional interests

Computer Game Development, Game Studies, and the use of Immersive Technology in physiological computing.

Research interests

My research interests are currently focused on the use of Immersive Technology in physiological and empathetic computing. This includes the use of VR in novel applications, for example, I am working on projects that use VR to model difficult interactions in healthcare contexts, to provide a platform to evaluate anxiety in social settings and to work with affective computing solutions to monitor user experience.

I have worked on several past projects, including the H2020 project “No One Left Behind” which worked with user groups to develop and evaluate a visual programming language for inclusive teaching and learning. I also worked on the EU Lifelong funded project EduRob (Educational Robotics), which worked with stakeholders to create robotic driven solutions to teaching and learning for students with individual learning needs.

Membership of professional bodies

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Qualifications

• BSc (Hons) Computer Studies, Liverpool John Moores University
• MSc Computer Network Security, Liverpool John Moores University
• PhD “The Effect of Privacy Salience on End-User Self-Disclosure Habits: An Experimental Exploration”, University of Salford

Recent publications

• Zubair, M.S., Brown, D.J., Hughes-Roberts, T. and Bates, M., 2021. Designing accessible visual programming tools for children with autism spectrum condition. Universal Access in the Information Society, pp.1-20
• Hughes-Roberts, T., Brown, D., Boulton, H., Burton, A., Shopland, N. and Martinovs, D., 2020. Examining the potential impact of digital game making in curricula based teaching: Initial observations. Computers & Education, 158, p.103988
• Cui, V., Hughes-Roberts, T. and White, N., 2020. Time to get real-difficult and unexpected conversations and first year therapeutic radiography students. Radiography, 26, pp.S34-S35
• Hughes‐Roberts, T., Brown, D., Standen, P., Desideri, L., Negrini, M., Rouame, A., Malavasi, M., Wager, G. and Hasson, C., 2019. Examining engagement and achievement in learners with 9 individual needs through robotic‐based teaching sessions. British Journal of Educational Technology, 50(5), pp.2736-2750
• Zubair, M.S., Brown, D., Hughes-Roberts, T. and Bates, M., 2019. A method of creating personae for children with autism spectrum condition: application and revision. Journal of Enabling Technologies
• Hughes-Roberts, T., Battersby, S. & Brown D., Providing a means of pre-planning for real spaces for the visually impaired using updated navigation techniques in virtual reality: a system and experiment proposal, ICDVRAT, Nottingham, 2018