Smart City Futures

James is a Chartered European Engineer with specialisation in Design, Academic Enterprise, Human Communications and Team Building. His research areas inlcude space and resource utilisation, design methods, the product introductory process, technology and knowledge transfer, multi-media for professional communications, partnering, cultural change, action learning, the information superhighway and simulation, inlcluding virtual reality. He was one time managing director of Britain's first commerical learning videodisc company and designer of the Menuhin Auditoria in Portsmouth.

He was head of two very different university departments, architecture and manufacturing and engineering systems, a Deputy Dean of Technology and Dean of Postrgraduate Studies before taking up the post as Director of Academic Enterprise responsible for Salford University's 'Reach Out' initiatives into industry, commerce, the service industry, the voluntary sector and society at large.

For the past 30 years James has been researching into all aspects of communication and the mid-career education of professionals especially those in the construction industry. He has designed, directed and produced a number of national/European award winning multi-media learning packages. He has also been responsible for developing effective professionals' learning strategy based upon a fourfold model of learning.