Associate Dean: Engagement & Enterprise / Salford School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology
Sam says “I am a delighted to, once again, be involved in the judging of the annual Create Student Awards and, as in previous years, the quality of applications has been of a very high standard. The purpose of the Awards is to recognise the activities that our students undertake not just within their degree subject and study areas, but across the wider School and University through engagement with external communities and industry partners. It was wonderful to read how students have still been actively engaged with industry based external opportunities and have represented the School at the highest level, despite the backdrop of the various lockdown restrictions everyone has contended with this year.
“This is the second year of holding this event online and whilst it would be great to celebrate with everyone in real life, it does enable us to share the nominated student achievements with our wider industry audience, who I know will be tuning in to spot the next generation of talented Salford graduates. Congratulations and well done to each to each and every one of our 32 shortlisted finalists. I wish you the best of luck with your creative life after graduation. Keep in touch and I hope to work with some of you in the future in your future roles within the creative industries.”
Sam has worked at the University of Salford since 2000, in a variety of teaching and industry based knowledge exchange roles. Her current position as Associate Dean: Engagement & Enterprise sees her managing the development of external relationships with industry colleagues and the generation of new commercial income streams into the School. This includes Studio Salford – a design and media based commercial student enterprise within the School. Students and alumni take part on an agency model basis, producing commercial content, and are teamed with our experienced Design and Media Studio Managers who lead on each project to ensure a professional service. Recent clients to Studio Salford range from local businesses Zymurgorium Distillery and Salford Council, to trusts and charities such as Salford Royal and YMCA, through to international partners at CCTV China Central Televison Broadcasting company. Sam also oversees The Pipeline Media – a CPD training initiative for the media and creative technologies industries, developed in partnership with industry professionals. The short courses available as part of The Pipeline Media are designed to plug skills gaps in key areas around visual effects, post-production and production management.
Sam’s academic research background is practice based, working in the visual arts and drawing on a socially engaged model which has previously focused on using a games based approach to gather, organise and display information that culminates in bringing a community together to play, review and add to the body of knowledge.