Author Archives: Joel

Student Trip: Cyber Security Expo, Bristol

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Computing students on a number of our undergraduate degree courses recently had the good fortune to attend the Cyber Security Expo taking place in Bristol.

This event, one of the largest trade events in the UK, brings together employers and potential employees such as our students, and is attended by some of the largest international security companies, all able to give our students unique advice & insight into how to further their careers in the sector.

Our students were able to talk to many of the companies in depth, creating networking oppurtunites, and gaining the certainty that the skills they’re learning about are in demand by the industry.

Staffs Uni students with their prizes!

A number of Staffs Uni students also completed a challenge run by Huawei, seeing them taking home a Raspberry Pi each!

Here’s what one student had to say about the day…

“…it was an excellent trip, and allowed me to “network” with large companies and talk about what is expected in terms of technical & soft skills when I graduate, and allowed me to put my name out there in the industry and pick up industry contacts”

Noisefloor 2017 – International Music & Film Festival

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Early May saw the return of Staffordshire University’s Noisefloor  Festival, a 3 day event dedicated to electronic music and experimental film, showcasing student work produced on our undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as playing host to pieces by a large number of international artists.

With the recent move of many music and film courses to our Stoke campus this was the first time the new state of the art facilities, such as our brand new Cadman TV Studio, had been used for the event, alongside our Film Theatre for the nights film screenings.

Students were also involved with helping select the line up, with those performing coming from the UK, the US, Cyprus, and Lithuania, amongst many others.

Keep your eyes peeled for more informatoin regarding Noisefloor 2018, and to find out more about Noisefloor 2017 as well as a full list of performers, visit the website by clicking here.

 

Search for a Star!

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Staffordshire University was recently host to games design competitions Search for a Star and Rising Star, with games design students from up and down the country attending the event which included informal mentoring sessions, round table discussions, a networking lunch and talks by established industry professionals.

uinque networking oppurtunites for students with many big names in the games industry

This years speakers included Philip & Andrew Oliver, creators of the ‘Dizzy’ series of games and current founders of independent developer Radiant Worlds giving a history of games and their own personal experiences in the industry, as well as Tim Furnish of Sumo Digital Nottingham, and Liz Mercuri of popular game-engine Unity.

The event was not to be missed by those with a passion for games, giving a unique networking oppurtunity and first hand insight from games developers.

Find out more about Search for a Star by clicking here

TableTopTapOut Student Board Game Expo

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In a change from what might usually be expected from a Computer Games Design portfolio of courses a strong strand of analog games design stems through the courses that focus on understanding games ‘BSc (Hons) Computer Gameplay Design and Production’ and ‘BA (Hons) Games Studies’. In the level 5 Module ‘Gameplay Applications’ students have been working on a solo board game design task – cumulating in a Board Game Expo hosted in the Henrion Gallery on April 24th.

The Board Games have been designed with the theme of ‘making something mundane fun’ and all the elements of the design and the production were left up the students, including in some cases commissioning illustration and comic design students to work on the art aspects of the games.

Themes for the games varied greatly but included cleaning kitchens, washing clothes, stocking pound shops, packing for mini breaks, selling ice creams, commuting, commuting in space and infiltrating the food chain with questionable ingredients.

Nia Wearn, the module leader said “it was fantastic event and an excellent showcase of the student’s hard work. Many of the games have been produced to a high level and it was great being in a central place in the university surrounded by people enjoying new games”.

The event was open to the public and number of local board game players came to play and feedback to the students. We were also lucky to have a representative from PlayTest UK (http://www.playtest.co.uk/) attend, giving valuable advice to the students about the validity of the students game in the current marketplace.

“We’ll be running the module again next year so anyone who wants to get involved, or suggest a theme for the students to work on please don’t hesitate to get in touch” – Nia Wearn n.h.wearn@staffs.ac.uk

 

Student Trip: Media City Manchester

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Nearly one hundred film production students from Staffordshire University travelled to Media City in Manchester to get a special behind-the-scenes look at the amazing TV facilities at the BBC & ITV, as well as Dock 10, the biggest TV studio complex in the country, and to speak to those in positions to recruit our graduates.

Film & Media students infront of Media City UK, Manchester

This trip allowed for great experience and insight; already encouraging students to consider their careers and the value of Film/TV work experience, which will help them get that first foot in the door of a highly competitive industry.

Here’s what the students had to say about it:

“a fantastic insight into the industry…”

“lots of valuable informtion to carry into the future”

“great day!”

Victoria Lucas Recording Session

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Members of Keele Women’s Choir came to our Cadman Recording Studios recently to record abstract sounds and music for a new installation piece by Sheffield-based artist Victoria Lucas, which will feature in her exhibit ‘Lay of the Land (and other such myths)’.

Keele Womens Choir, directed by Victoria Lucas

Undergraduate students were given the chance to put into practice skills aquired on our music technology courses in a real world situation, with the help of our skilled technicians.

music students helping record the session

Lucas’s piece which will include this audio will be part of a collection of the artists work being displayed at the Air Space Gallery in Hanley, with the exhibition opening on May 6th and running until June 3rd 2017.

A preview event for the exhibit is scheduled to take place from 6pm to 8pm on May 5th, and you can find out more information by clicking here.