Dr Helen Southall
Senior Lecturer
Biography
Dr. Southall is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer and Engineering Sciences. After graduating from the University of Keele with a degree in Physics and Music, and gaining an M.Sc. in Computation from the University of Manchester, Dr. Southall worked in the energy and insurance industries for 10 years. She joined the University of Chester as a lecturer in Computer Science in 1998, and gained her Ph.D. in 2015. She continues to pursue research interests in the digital humanities, including the application of virtual and augmented reality to history and heritage, and has a strong interest in bringing the results of academic research to a wider audience, for instance by helping to organise the first Storyhouse Climate event at Chester's Storyhouse arts venue in November 2022. Outside of the university, Dr. Southall plays clarinet and saxophone in a variety of jazz and classical ensembles.
Teaching and Supervision
Dr. Southall's current teaching focuses on User Experience and User Interface Design. Over the last 25-plus years at the University of Chester, she has also taught Physics, Maths for Computer Science, Programming, Databases, Systems Analysis, Information Systems, Project Management, and Research Methods, as well as supervising dissertation students at undergraduate, Masters and Ph.D. level.
Research and Knowledge Exchange
Dr. Southall's current research interests relate to the application of digital technology to public understanding of research, and especially applications of VR/AR technologies and UX best practice to history, archaeology and heritage, for example. in museums and exhibitions. She is also interested in promoting public understanding of science, especially the history of science, women in science and technology, and the science of climate change and sustainability.