Who
Hi! 👋 I'm Jon and I'm a XR Unity developer and educator
2026: I’m currently a Teaching Technologist in Virtual and Augmented Reality at the University of Bristol, primarily supporting the MSc Immersive Technologies programme. I also occasionally work as a freelance Unity developer.
I’m fortunate to work alongside a diverse and inspiring teaching team whose expertise spans Computer Science and the Arts. Our team brings together academics, technicians, researchers, and creative practitioners, creating a rich environment for learning and experimentation. I co-manage the Immersive Project Room, helping students access the hardware, software, and support they need to learn, experiment, and achieve their project goals.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the role is seeing students develop throughout the year, particularly when everything comes together in their weird and wonderful final projects. I enjoy helping students turn ideas into working experiences, whether that’s overcoming technical hurdles, refining project goals, or finding practical solutions to unexpected challenges.
My role typically involves helping students debug Unity XR problems, applying software engineering skills to technical challenges, and explaining complex concepts. I also enjoy supporting project teams, drawing on my experience of leading and working within both high-performing and struggling teams to help students reflect on how they communicate, collaborate, and organise their work. This can involve introducing Agile practices, structured feedback approaches, and other techniques that encourage teams to identify and address challenges for themselves. Working through these challenges collaboratively, and seeing teams grow in confidence and effectiveness, is one of the most fulfilling parts of the role.
Software development has given me a huge amount of enjoyment throughout my career, not only through solving interesting problems but also through working with talented people who have challenged, inspired, and taught me more than I could have imagined. I hope I can help others discover the same opportunities. ✨