School of Computing

Open Lab

Open Lab

About

Open Lab is an interaction design research group, specialising in Human Computer-Interaction (HCI), and ubiquitous computing.

 We have over 80 researchers and staff making us one of the biggest research groups in the School of Computing, and work on a number of human-centred design projects both locally and globally.

Our highly skilled researchers come from a huge range of backgrounds including computer science, design, engineering, health and social sciences, architecture and planning, education and the arts, and more making us truly interdisciplinary.

Through this radical interdisciplinary approach, our projects connect with many of Newcastle University’s core research strengths from ageing and health to data and cities.

World-leading research group in HCI

Open Lab has, in just over a decade, become a world-leading research group in its field.

One of our main specialties is digital civics, designing digital technologies that help individuals, local communities, and voluntary organisations have a stronger voice in public services, and local democracy.

These projects explore ways to deliver public services in a more resilient way. Through this work, we believe that working with citizens as active co-producers of research is the key to this transformation.

We run the EPSRC-funded CDT in Digital Civics, training 50 PhD students between 2014-2022, and the Digital Economy Research Centre, employing 25 postdoctoral researchers across faculties in Newcastle and Northumbria universities.

We also host the School of Computing's new MSc in Human-Computer Interaction.

We have worked with hundreds of partners over the last decade including the NHS, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, local schools, Nexus, local councils, Barnardos, Seven Stories, Meadow Well Connected and more.

Our aim is that our research is mutually beneficial for both us and the people we work with, meaning people will often benefit from our research long after it is finished.

Our work has been featured in a number of articles around: climate change, working with refugees, shape-changing furniture, creating a ‘breastfeeding-friendly TripAdvisor’ app, and helping design the new Tyne and Metro.

Staff

Find out which staff members are involved in our research.

Staff

Dr Serdar Abaci
Research Associate

Email:

Dalya Al-Shahrabi
Research Software Engineer

Emily Barker
Communications Officer (Open Lab)

Dr Simon Bowen
Senior Research Associate

Email:

Luis Carvalho
Research Assistant

Email:

David Chatting
Visiting Researcher

Dr Clara Crivellaro
Research Fellow

Email:

Dr Abigail Durrant
Professor of Interaction Design

Email:

Linnea Groot
Research Assistant

Email:

Dr Yu Guan
Lecturer

Email:
Telephone: +44 191 20 84642

Bingzhang Hu
Research Assistant

Dan Jackson
Senior Research Associate

Email:
Telephone: +44 191 208 4630

Dr Ahmed Kharrufa
Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction

Email:
Telephone: +44 191 208 3695

Professor Dave Kirk
Prof of Human Computer Interaction

Telephone: +44 (0) 191 20 84630

Dr Karim Ladha
Senior Research Associate

Email:
Telephone: +44 191 208 4632

Dr Yang Long
MRC Innovation Fellow

Professor Andrew Monk
Visiting Professor

Email:

Dr Kyle Montague
Lecturer

Email:

Dr Tom Nappey
Research Associate

Daniel Parry
Digital Content Creator

Ivan Poliakov
Senior Research Associate

Email:

Rachel Pattinson
CDT Manager (Digital Civics)

Email:

Dr Jan Smeddinck
Lecturer

Email:
Telephone: +44 191 208 4642

Dr Austin Toombs
Visiting Researcher

Professor John Vines
Visiting Researcher

Dr Vasilis Vlachokyriakos
Lecturer

Email:
Telephone: +44 (0) 7508442767

Professor Peter Wright
Prof of Social Computing

Email:
Telephone: +44 191 208 4630

Current Projects

Completed Projects