News Release
Can YouDo Action Arts?
Professor Ernest Adams
The University of Ulster has joined forces with Bank of Ireland to launch the first in a series of events giving young people the chance to get involved in digital media and the performing arts.
The YouDo Action Arts Programme will incorporate a range of events and activities over the coming year, and will take place across Ulster’s four campuses.
Internationally renowned computing games expert, Ernest Adams, kicked off the first YouDo event this week, with a computer gaming workshop for schools in the North West of the province.
Ernest Adams, who is currently a visiting professor at Ulster’s School of Computing and Intelligent Systems, Magee campus, is an eminent software engineer, with more than 25 years of experience in the game design industry. His visit was facilitated by the Royal Academy of Engineers.
He has worked independently and as a member of the International Hobo game design consortium on the production of computer games such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl.
His clients have included Guinness World Records, Ubisoft, THQ, Elixir Studios, Ragdoll, Glu Mobile and Terraplay AB.
Over 140 students from Thornhill College, St Columb’s College and St Brigid’s College, took part in the hands-on gaming workshop, which focused on the fundamental principles of game design.
Michael Callaghan, School of Computing and Intelligent Systems, Magee campus said: “I am delighted that we have someone of this calibre and experience as a visiting professor and that part of Ernest's time with us is spent with local schools, raising awareness of the many possible career opportunities available to students in the video games arena and in computing in general.
“The workshops are a superb opportunity for students to gain first-hand insight into this dynamic multi-billion pound computer games industry and discover the opportunities it holds. We are delighted be involved with this event, which aims to promote new opportunities for young people, and inspire some of the gaming experts of the future.
“We have introduced two new games programmes, BEng Computer Games Development and BSc Multimedia Computer Games at the Magee Campus of the University of Ulster, to provide graduates for this industrial sector currently estimated to be worth in excess of 10 billion dollars worldwide.”
Billy Kehoe, Head of Branch Distribution, Bank of Ireland said: “YouDo is a really exciting initiative for us to be involved with through the University of Ulster. The Ernest Adams event is the first in a series of workshops with contemporary technical experts and Bank of Ireland looks forward to reaching hundreds of second level students and their teachers through this far-reaching education programme.”
For further information on the YouDo Action Arts Programme, contact Janet Mackle, University of Ulster: 028 7032 4683 or email: j.mackle@ulster.ac.uk.
More information on the computer games programmes at the University of Ulster can be found at: http://courses.infm.ulst.ac.uk/programmes/games-dev.htm or http://courses.infm.ulst.ac.uk/programmes/mma-games.htm
For further information, please contact:
Trina Porter
Telephone: 028 71675511
Email: Trina Porter
