Arthur is currently assistant director for research and innovation IT at the University of Sheffield, where he's responsible for helping researchers with their computational needs.
Prior to that, he was director of infrastructure at the University of York, where he was also responsible for cyber security.
Keynote panel sessions
Dimitra Simeonidou
Dimitra is a full professor at the University of Bristol, the co-director of the Bristol Digital Futures Institute and the director of Smart Internet Lab. Her research is focusing in the fields of high performance networks, programmable networks, wireless-optical convergence, 5G/6G and smart city infrastructures.
She is increasingly working with Social Sciences on topics of digital transformation for society and businesses. Dimitra has been the technical architect and the CTO of the smart city project Bristol Is Open. She is currently leading the Bristol City/Region 5G urban pilots.
She is the author and co-author of over 600 publications, numerous patents and several major contributions to standards. She has been the co-founder of two spin-out companies, the latest being the University of Bristol VC funded spin-out Zeetta Networks, delivering SDN solutions for enterprise and emergency networks.
Professor Andy Miah
Andy is chair of science communication and future media in the School of Science, Engineering, and Environment at the University of Salford, Manchester. Author of 10 books about emerging technologies, Professor Miah is known for his research into ethics and artificial intelligence, human enhancement, immersive realities, and esports.
He is an advisory board member of the British Esports Association, commission member of the Global Esports Federation, and author of Sport 2.0: Transforming Sports for a Digital World (MIT Press, 2017). In 2020, he co-founded the International Journal of Esports, the world’s first scientific journal in the subject.
Previous roles include providing digital media training for IAAF athletes, social media guidance for Olympic athletes, mentoring on the International Olympic Committee Young Reporters Programme. Professor Miah is also a frequent media commentator and has written for Vogue, BBC, Wired, and many other outlets.
Simon Palmer
Simon is head of IT development at Coleg Sir Gar. Heading up information technology operations Simon manages a software development team, network servers, security, Windows, MACOS, Android, IOS, ChromeOS software, telephony, cameras, and anything else with an IP address, for 5 of the Coleg Sir Gar, and 2 Coleg Ceredigion campuses in West Wales. Keen on open source, API’s, and standard technologies, Simon and team recently deployed the colleges first Esports suite.
Kylie Kendrick
Kylie Kendrick is a technical specialist at Durham University and was recently appointed esports lead after deciding to pursue her passion for esports and gaming.
Kylie has been gaming since she was three and has competed semi-professionally in Counter Strike before retiring to start her professional career in AV/IT.
Kylie is also the chair of the Esports Advisory Board at Durham University and is actively pushing an esports-based initiative at the university, supporting students who are interested in a career in esports. She also championed a collaborative partnership between Durham and LDN UTD (Esports Org) and is an active member of the esports VALORANT community.
Kylie has sat on multiple panels and presented to various AV professionals regarding esports. She is also a member of the Women in Esports initiative, via the British Esports Association, which supports women and marginalised genders in forging a path for themselves in esports.
