Mr Nathan Bowman
School of Arts, Media and Creative Technologies
Current positions
Lecturer in Games Design & Production
Biography
I am a Lecturer and programme leader in Games Design and Production at the University of Salford. I teach game design with a particular emphasis on systems design, rapid digital prototyping, and programming. I have years of experience in software development and have led the development of various VR/AR projects, including industrial research into interactive and augmented reality television. I have designed and delivered VR and AR experiences on various platforms, including projects for Network Rail, Samsung, Standard Chartered Bank, and BBC Worldwide.
I work across two related areas. The first is serious games for teaching complex topics. I lead development of funded educational games with the University of Cambridge Faculty of History, turning research data into games and teaching resources that actually work in classrooms. The second is immersive installations for heritage and public engagement. At Salford I have been able to design and produce interactive installations that use projection mapping, depth, motion tracking, multi-device input systems, and virtual production pipelines. What interests me most is how blending VR with traditional media can create new levels of immersive storytelling and audience engagement. These two areas share the same technical foundations (game engines, spatial media) and, for me, they share the same approach: participatory design with teachers, historians, technologists, and stakeholders.
I work extensively with C#, Unity, and Unreal Engine for game and tools development, VR/AR applications, and specialise in rapid digital prototyping. I have also worked with various microcontrollers and electronics, procedural content generation, and theatrical tech such as Isadora, TouchDesigner, Disguise.
Qualifications
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BSc Game Design & Production
2016 - 2019