Matt Smith

Matt Smith is senior lecturer in computing at Technology University (TU) Dublin, Ireland, specializing in XR and interactive multimedia. In 1980 Matt started computer programming (on a ZX80). A few years later (aged 16) he submitted his first 2 games for the programming project component of his ‘O'-level computing certificate. In 1985 Matt wrote the lyrics, and was a member of the band that played (and sang, sorry about that by the way) the music on the B-side of the audio cassette carrying the computer game Confuzion by Incentive Software Ltd. (the game/song has a Wikipedia page ...). Matt has been an author for all 5 of Packt Publishing's Unity Cookbook editions. After receiving his bachelor's degree in business computing (Huddersfield University, UK), he started looking for more 'fun' in computing, leading to his masters in Artificial Intelligence (Aberdeen University, Scotland), and then his PhD in computational musicology (Open University, UK). Having run out of money after 10 years as a full time student he began his career as a full-time academic. He has now been lecturing in programming, artificial intelligence, web development and interactive multimedia for 30 years, holding full-time positions at Winchester University and London's Middlesex University, and since 2001, TU Dublin, He introduced Unity-based 3D game development and interactive virtual environments subjects to his computing and digital media students. Some previous work involved Java mobile phone gaming for the European SECASE project, leading to work with a graduate student investigating mobile game multimedia content internationalization (congratulations on that M.Eng. research degree Leonie!). Matt was a documentation author for the Fungus Games open source interactive storytelling plugin for Unity. Having studied Taekwon-Do to first degree black belt, when his daughter switched to Shotokan Karate so did he. His son switched from Taekwon-Do to volleyball – so Matt drives to many volleyball sessions these days. In occasional moments of free time he also tries to get better at playing the piano and classical guitar. Matt has contributed towards chapters in many academic books, including: "The Serious-Storytelling Handbook" (CRC-Taylor & Francis Group, in-press 2023), "The Handbook of Research on Designing User Interfaces With a Data Science Approach" (IGI Global 2022), "Serious Games and Edutainment Applications" (Springer 2011), and "Musical Imagery" (Routledge 2001). While still a Ph.D. student he was lead editor for "Music Education: An Artificial Intelligence Approach" (Springer 1994). He also has written the PHP Crash Course book (No Starch Press, 2024).