Tag: Edinburgh Napier University

Emma celebrates graduation after overcoming shock seizure ordeal

The Business Management student has graduated from Edinburgh Napier with first class honours

A new Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) graduate feels as though she has achieved the impossible by graduating with first class honours – after a series of frightening seizures left her studies in doubt.

Business Management student Emma Sullivan suddenly began experiencing convulsive episodes in the summer of 2022, which became increasingly intense and unpredictable. Months of tests and appointments revealed a diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder.

After carefully balancing the condition with her studies, Emma has now been formally presented with her degree at the Usher Hall – where she paid tribute to her family for their support.

The 22-year-old from Edinburgh said: “The weekend before starting second year I experienced two out of control ‘episodes’, which I didn’t know were seizures at the time. Me and my parents went to A&E as we could tell something was wrong.

“After undergoing a couple of tests they were unable to detect any abnormalities, and it was put down to stress. I left the hospital feeling more confused than when I went in, as though I had wasted their time.

“I continued to have these ‘episodes’ every few weeks. They were becoming more intense, and I would be very disoriented before and after them.

“It took around seven months to finally have an explanation of what I was going through. I was referred to a neurologist who diagnosed me with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and explained that I was having functional seizures.”

FND affects how the brain processes signals, with symptoms including seizures, fatigue and pain. Treatments focus on managing and improving the condition through rehabilitation therapy.

For Emma, this meant carefully balancing her everyday life. She left her part-time job to focus on her health and her studies.

She added: “Once I had the diagnosis it helped to give some clarity, but I still had to learn how to adapt to this new reality. Other things in my life needed to take a back seat.

“During flare ups I was having multiple seizures a day, which was both physically and mentally exhausting. Through neuropsychology appointments I learned that pacing myself was extremely important, and this has really helped me to continue my studies.

“It was a constant concern whenever I was out of the house that I might have a seizure, which added an extra layer of stress to everyday activities.

“Alongside the seizures I would also experience limb and muscle weakness, muscle spasms, chronic pain, fatigue and dissociation.

“Two months before the first seizures I was also diagnosed with autism. So alongside navigating this new, massive health change, I was also coming to terms with what the autism diagnosis meant for me.

“It has been a lot to process during the past few years.”

Now that she has achieved her degree, Emma hopes to raise awareness of conditions like hers, while championing disability advocacy and support.

Her dissertation focused on the impact working from home can have on autistic employees – and she shared her findings at the Edinburgh Napier’s ENclusion conference in May.

She said: “There were many times during the past couple years that the thought of graduating and finishing my studies seemed absolutely impossible.

“I am extremely proud of myself for getting to the stage, but I absolutely could not have done it without the love of my family. My mum and dad have been an incredible support and have been with me every step of this journey.

“Although it has been incredibly difficult and challenging at times, these experiences have also helped me to grow in resilience, determination and strength.

“Planning for the future can be very difficult due to the unpredictability of my health, but I remain passionate about raising awareness about both chronic illnesses and autism.

“I would love to be part of a movement that drives positive change and supports others facing similar challenges, and helps to build a more inclusive, understanding society.”

Scottish wheelchair basketball star awarded doctorate

Paralympian first took up the sport at ENU

Pioneering wheelchair basketball star Robyn Love has paid tribute to the place where her sporting career began, after being awarded an honorary doctorate by Edinburgh Napier University (ENU).

Since graduating from ENU with a degree in Biomedical Science in 2013, the 34-year-old from Ayr has represented Great Britain at three Paralympic Games – in Rio, Tokyo and Paris – captained Team Scotland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and won silver and bronze medals at European and World Championships.

Born with arthrogryposis, a condition affecting muscle development, Robyn took up basketball during her time at ENU, where she was Edinburgh Napier Students’ Association vice president, captain of the women’s basketball team, and president of the LGBTQ+ society.

She has continued to champion equality and accessibility in her roles as a director at Basketball Scotland, an LGBTQ+ ambassador with the British Elite Athlete Association.

Robyn’s honorary doctorate is awarded as she prepares to represent Scotland on home soil in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

She was formally presented with the degree during a graduation ceremony at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on Friday [11 July], celebrating alongside her fiancé and teammate Laurie Williams.

Responding to the award of her honorary doctorate, Robyn said: “I’m deeply honoured to receive this recognition from the very institution where my journey truly began.

“It was here that I first picked up a basketball and discovered wheelchair sport – a moment that sparked a decade-long career representing Great Britain on the international stage.

“Alongside my sporting journey, I’ve been proud to advocate for the LGBT community, striving to create spaces where everyone can be seen, valued and empowered to thrive – much like my experience at Edinburgh Napier.

“This honorary doctorate is not just a celebration of achievement, but a reminder of the power of education, opportunity, and inclusion to transform lives.”

Presenting the degree, Professor Susan Brown, from ENU’s School of Applied Sciences said: “Robyn’s story reflects ambition, professionalism, inclusivity and innovation – each a cornerstone of our university’s values.

“She is a powerful role model for our graduates, reminding us that adversity can be a catalyst for greatness, and that leadership comes in many forms.

“Robyn has broken boundaries and redefined what is possible – not just for herself, but for the communities she represents. Her ambition drives her to excel, her professionalism is evident in her leadership and advocacy, inclusivity is at the heart of all she does, and her innovative spirit turns challenges into opportunities.”

Professor Sue Rigby inaugurated as Principal of Edinburgh Napier

Professor Sue Rigby has been officially inaugurated as Principal and Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University in a ceremony at the Usher Hall.

Professor Rigby took up the post in January, following the retirement of Professor Andrea Nolan. A palaeontologist by background, she was previously Vice Chancellor of Bath Spa University and held roles at the Universities of Cambridge, Leicester, Lincoln and Edinburgh.

Ahead her first graduation ceremony as head of the University, Professor Rigby was formally introduced by Chancellor Will Whitehorn OBE – the first time the tradition has been held since the inauguration of Professor Nolan in 2013.

The event marked the start of ENU’s summer graduations, which saw around 2,300 students cross the stage to be presented with their qualifications over the course of seven ceremonies.

Addressing the audience, Professor Rigby said: “I am very honoured to stand here as the new Principal and Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University and grateful to University Court for putting its faith in me to guide this institution through its next chapter.

“Edinburgh Napier is unique and truly comprised of difference-makers. Staff are passionately committed to the University, and they understand that this is a community not a location or a history.

“They are world leaders in their disciplines but value the opportunity to teach and support learning above all else. They are bound together by passion and by an unswerving moral compass.

“Their driving purpose is to reduce inequality and to improve lives through their research and teaching. They are do-ers as well as thinkers.

“It is right that people challenge universities about their purpose and the value they offer to society. It is up to us to speak to that challenge and to show our worth.

“This is easy in the case of Edinburgh Napier University, and it is what I will do for the duration of my tenure.”

From zookeeper to new teacher: Kirsty celebrates second Edinburgh Napier graduation

A zookeeper turned secondary school teacher is swapping the penguin enclosure for the classroom after ‘coming home’ to graduate from Edinburgh Napier University for a second time.

Kirsty Dow collected a Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from the Usher Hall on Wednesday 9 July – exactly a decade on from completing her degree in animal biology!

Having held several roles at Edinburgh Zoo, including as its head of penguins, the 33-year-old from Edinburgh developed a passion for education while putting on tours for groups of young people.

When she decided to retrain as a secondary school teacher to fit her career around her young family, Edinburgh Napier University was the only place for her.

Kirsty said: “I had done bits of education at the zoo – taking tours and showing groups of children around. I found I was becoming much more confident about speaking to large groups and started to really enjoy it. I just thought, ‘hey, I’m quite good at this!’

“Teaching is something which had been in the back of my mind for a few years. However, I’d previously spoken to friends who had done a PGDE and warned that it was challenging, so I’d put it off for a wee while.

“But then I just took the leap and left my job at the zoo.

“Edinburgh Napier was the only place I applied for, because I love it so much. I really enjoyed my time here. It was less scary because it felt like home.

“I had always thought about becoming a teacher but never had to confidence to go for it.

“Even after the first day, I knew it was the right decision. My fellow teachers are wonderful, and I feel like it is my true calling. It is an absolute dream come true.”

Part of Kirsty’s motivation to change career was the expected arrival of her second child – having welcomed her son, Artie, into the world in 2020.

Kirsty added: “When I found out I was pregnant again, I decided that I needed a better life for our children.

“I knew teacher training was going to be tough, and I was worried about telling the University about my pregnancy, but the lecturers couldn’t have been more supportive.

“I completed 6 months of the course and then had to suspend my studies when we welcomed baby Primrose. I had a full year off but kept in touch with University as I had made wonderful connections – I’d go in with Prim to meet them for coffee!

“Resuming studies was extremely intimidating. Especially since I was heading straight into my third teaching placement. But ENU was there to support me, and it was such a personal experience.”

As Kirsty graduates, she is now preparing to start work as a biology teacher at the beginning of the next school year.

“I can’t speak highly enough of the course,” she said. “We were taught how to teach, rather than just the theory of it.

“Right from week six we were in a classroom seeing how it’s done. We got so much practical experience.

“I would advise anyone like me who has had teaching in the back of their mind to go for it.”

Kirsty joined fellow students from ENU’s School of Applied Sciences in celebrating their graduation on Wednesday at the Usher Hall. Over the next three days, around 2,300 new graduates will be formally presented with their qualifications.

Edinburgh Napier launched its PGDE courses in 2018 as part of an effort to train more teachers in Scotland, and now offers students the opportunity to complete the qualification across a range of different subjects.

‘You’d better not let me stop you’: new graduate dedicates degree to late mum

Connor Smith has marked his graduation from Edinburgh Napier University

An Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) student has described how his mum gave him the motivation to complete his degree – as he graduates a few months after losing her to cancer.

Connor Smith, from Loanhead in Midlothian, has become the first in his family to graduate from university after being presented with his degree in Social Sciences at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall today.

The 30-year-old has described how the loss of his mum, Fiona, has given him the drive to use his education to help people. She passed away in January of this year, around seven months after her illness was discovered.

He said: “It happened towards the end of my third year. Mum chummed me along to pick out an engagement ring on a Saturday, then found about her cancer on the Monday.

“I don’t think I really processed it at the time. It didn’t feel real. You always think your mum will be around forever.

“She went from a healthy normal life to passing away from cancer so suddenly. Seeing her at the hospice while I was finishing my degree was near impossible.

“I thought about putting my studies on hold. I spoke to my personal development tutor, who was really helpful at setting out the options that were available to me.

“But I remember speaking to my mum as her health was deteriorating and she said, “you’d better not let me stop you from finishing your degree”. So I decided to keep going.

“She was immensely proud of what I was doing. She was such a selfless person – she’d do anything for her kids and her grandkids.”

Connor was joined at the Usher Hall by his partner and two children, after crossing the stage alongside fellow students from ENU’s School of Applied Sciences.

It marks the end of a six-year educational journey for him, which began at college and took an unexpected path.

He is now hoping to go into education or the charity sector to help others find their passion.

Connor added: “I was stuck in dead-end jobs and feeling really unfulfilled at work. It was when I was doing nightshifts that I decided to try and do something about it.

“I left school with one higher and didn’t think university would be something that I would ever do.

“I initially wanted to do criminology, with an eye on maybe going into the police. But once I started social sciences at college, I found that I really enjoyed it – and decided to keep doing it at Edinburgh Napier.

“I became a dad at 18 and had to grow up very quickly. Since then, my attitude to education has changed completely. Now I feel like I know what I want in life and education is going to help me get there.”

While Connor has become the first in his family to go to university, he won’t be on his own for long.

“My sister is starting her studies at Edinburgh Napier this year,” he said. “She’ll be at Sighthill too – the same campus as me.

“I feel proud to be the first in the family to go to uni, especially as she’s doing it right after me. Mum would be so proud of us.

“I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. I got through it, and that’s the main thing. As long as I know that I’ve tried my best, that’s all that matters.

“I think I’ve shown there’s more than one way to get to university. There’s a lot of pressure when you’re young to choose one thing or another, but I feel like I can help people who are trying to decide their future.”

Edinburgh Napier University’s summer graduation ceremonies are being held at the Usher Hall from 9-11 July. 

New AI tech company to tackle impersonation scams

Cyber project LastingAsset has become the latest firm to spin out from Edinburgh Napier University

A team of Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) cybersecurity experts have taken their fight against impersonation scams to the next level – after setting up their own company.

Their project, LastingAsset, has become the latest to spin out from the University, joining an illustrious list of cyber firms that began life at the School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment.

LastingAsset started out as a cybersecurity project to protect digital assets, before the founding team adapted the technology to tackle imposter calls.

Their service uses cryptographic encryption and artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent fraud perpetuated by rogue actors who impersonate an organisation or individual. 

Almost half of all fraud has an impersonation aspect and criminals are increasingly duping victims by using AI to socially engineer, voice clone and deep fake individuals. These crimes cost organisations across the UK billions of pounds every year.

The cryptography-based verification process developed by LastingAsset can assure client firms and their customers that they are speaking to a legitimate caller.

Having spent recent months developing their product, LastingAsset will now become the latest ENU spin-out company – the term used for new businesses which began life as an academic project.

The project was initially developed by ENU academics Dr Zakwan Jaroucheh and Professor Bill Buchanan. Their team includes co-founder and CEO Nanik Ramchandani, newly appointed Chief Operating Officer Ciara Mitchell and Senior Software Engineer Dmitri Timoshenko.

Since establishing the project more than two years ago, they have been backed by significant funding from Scottish Enterprise’s High Growth Spinout Programme, Innovate UK, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Data Lab. Their work has also drawn award recognition from the likes of Converge – claiming its Cisco Future Tech Award in 2023.

Having developed the technology, the LastingAsset team have begun exploring pilots with early adopter customers – and recently participated in a Scottish Enterprise programme to test the American market.

Dr Zakwan Jaroucheh, LastingAsset Co-founder & Chief Technical Officer, said: “Impersonation scams cause untold misery for people all around the world, and this is a big moment in our effort to fight against them.

“Edinburgh Napier University has a strong track record of supporting projects like ours to become major international companies, and we would like to thank colleagues for their help to get us to this point.”

Prof Bill Buchanan, LastingAsset Co-founder & Chief Innovator, said: “In an era of AI, there are so many opportunities to integrate privacy and digital trust into our online world.

“Our vision is to create systems which respect the rights of privacy of citizens, but where we can still address challenges around financial fraud and identity theft.

“We are aiming to build automated systems which can be trusted from a human and a technical level.”

Nanik Ramchandani, LastingAsset Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, said: “With the rapid development of AI and deepfake technology, it is more important than ever to stay one step ahead of fraudsters.

“We are determined to provide individuals with the peace of mind to confidently continue to communicate with each other knowing that they are secure and not being scammed.”

Fiona Mason, Head of Business Engagement and IP Commercialisation at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “We are delighted with the launch of LastingAsset, the fifth spin-out from the Cybersecurity group within the School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.

“Lasting Asset’s fraud detection is set to deliver significant benefits to people’s lives, by making everyday phone communications more trustworthy for everyone.

“We can’t do this alone – we are incredibly grateful for the support of our vibrant ecosystem which has been instrumental in supporting this project. I’d also like to offer thanks and congratulations to the founding team whose dedication and commitment have brought this vision to life.

“We are so proud of LastingAsset, which exemplifies our ambition to foster innovation, translate our research into real-world impact, and drive economic growth through groundbreaking technology.”

By spinning out, LastingAsset joins an impressive list of companies that began life as projects at the University, including the likes of Cyacomb, MemCrypt, Symphonic Software, ZoneFox, Mercel and Celtic Renewables.

In 2023 ENU was named among the UK’s top ten universities for generating spin-out firms.

Cameron Angus: A man on a mission to get men men-ding!

An Edinburgh Napier graphic design student is aiming to break down the gender stigmas around repair skills by encouraging men to pick up a needle and get into mending.

Fourth year Cameron Angus has this week unveiled his Men-ding project at Edinburgh Napier’s Degree Show – its annual celebration of creative talent from its School of Arts and Creative Industries.

Cameron, 22 years-old from Edinburgh, has developed a subscription model that consists of monthly, themed kits that pair a stereotypically masculine concept with a sustainable skill.

Examples of the kits include ‘Pitches and Stitches’ which allows a subscriber to learn the traditional Japanese embroidery technique of sashiko to fix a football kit as well as a gym-themed kit called ‘Muscles and Mending’.

Each kit includes the materials needed to get started, along with a patch to stitch onto a tote bag as a badge of honour.

The visual identity uses bold type, playful language, and a ‘handcrafted’touch to make repair skills feel accessible, achievable, and fun.

To shape the project’s direction, Cameron held a free embroidery workshop with 15, primarily male participants, to learn essential repair skills in a collaborative and creative environment.

Supported by female volunteers from Edinburgh’s Zero Waste Hub, ‘Patch It Up’ saw participants learn a range of embroidery techniques by personalising their own tote bag and being able to stich their name by the end of the session.

Alongside learning techniques, the workshop also focused on bridging gender and age gaps between the participants and the female volunteers to spark conversation on the longstanding stigmas surrounding skills like sewing.

Cameron said: “The idea for my project came to me when I was travelling in Australia last year. I ripped my jeans, and I really wanted to repair them when I was on the trip, but I didn’t really have any mending skills or know of a space to learn where to start.

“I started looking into it and my research found that many boys and young men are missing out on learning basic repair skills like sewing and mending, with them often excluded from these activities at school or home.

“On top of this, persistent gender stigmas suggest the skills are not for men, creating an invisible barrier that stops many from even trying.

“It was my mission with this project to begin to change these perceptions.

“In terms of the kits, I’ve tried to make each part feel fun and inviting, showing how playful design can make learning feel less like a lesson and more like an experience. It incorporates a lot of humour too – I really just wanted to persuade people to get stuck-in!

“The feedback I’ve had from the workshops has been overwhelmingly positive too. I can’t thank the volunteers enough for their help on the day, and places like The Edinburgh Remakery have been so helpful in my own mending journey too.

“I truly believe that Men-ding has real potential to be scaled into schools, youth groups, and community settings. It can encourage lifelong learning, self-sufficiency, and pride in these practical skills.

“It responds directly to the brief by helping start confidence-led learning and stopping the shame that so often blocks engagement, one stitch at a time.

“If there’s demand for a second workshop, then I’d definitely consider keeping them going as my time at Edinburgh Napier comes to an end.”

Cameron’s project – and dozens of others – are now on display at Edinburgh Napier’s Merchiston campus as part of its annual Degree Show.

The show runs from 30 May to 6 June.

More details can be found at www.napier.ac.uk/degreeshow.

Creative students’ award-winning Degree Show project gives advertisers something to chew over!

Origumi aims to help neurodiverse teenagers

An idea to transform chewing gum wrappers into a fold-up coping device for neurodiverse teenagers has earned industry recognition for three Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) students.

Caitlin Christina Borst, Ewan Bell and Sana Ziyaeen’s project, Origumi, has been named among the winners of this year’s D&AD New Blood Awards – a notable honour for emerging creatives.

The MSc Creative Advertising students are among those displaying their work at the 2025 Degree Show, which is open to the public at ENU’s Merchiston campus until Friday 6 June.

Responding to a brief from the chewing gum giant Extra, the trio designed a series of special wrappers for strip gums, with folding lines to help create origami-inspired paper creations.

Their campaign is aimed at young neurodiverse people, many of whom use fidgeting and stimming to help manage stress and anxiety. It combines unique packaging, out of home billboard adverts and a social media strategy.

Being recognised by D&AD, the leading industry organisation for the UK creative industry, came as a very welcome surprise to the team.

Sana, who is 24 and from Iran, said: “It’s crazy! I remember opening the email and still not quite believing it.

“It was an amazing feeling!”

24-year-old Ewan, who is from Aberdeen, added: “I was actually getting my hair cut at the time! I looked at my phone afterwards and it was going wild!

“When we all met up afterwards, we jumped about like kids!”

The Origumi team will find out which level of D&AD New Blood pencil they have won during an award ceremony in London in July.

They have put this success down to a rewarding year on the MSc course, which they hope will help to launch their career in advertising – as it has done for many predecessors.

Caitlin, 25, from Livingston, said: “It is a massive confidence boost to know that we’ve developed these skills which can be used in the industry.

“I think throughout the year we’ve all learned a lot from each other.”

“It feels like we’ve come a long way very quickly,” added Sana.

“We all have quite different backgrounds in terms of what we were doing before – which has really helped.”

Caitlin, Ewan and Sana have also followed in the footsteps of previous ENU Creative Advertising students Brianna Price and Mairi MacRae, whose Heineken Stim project drew on similar ideas, and was also recognised by D&AD in 2023.

The trio sought out their advice while developing Origumi.

“The fact that we have had industry professionals coming in has been so helpful,” said Ewan. “Having the help of predecessors has been really nice.

“I like that the course teaches you about the structure of a campaign. I feel a lot more equipped to take that out into work.”

Caitlin said: “We learned a lot about neurodivergence when putting this together. We noticed we were involuntarily fidgeting and stimming while discussing ways to take away the stigma.

“The project took a lot of different turns along the way, but I think we’re all pleased with where it has ended up.”

You can see Origumi and other work from across ENU’s School of Arts & Creative Industries at the 2025 Degree Show.

The week-long celebration of undergraduate and postgraduate students is free to attend and open to all until Friday 6 June – find out more about it here.

Study shows hearing intervention may reduce risk of falls among older adults

New paper led by ENU’s Dr Adele Goman is the first randomised control trial of this kind

Hearing interventions such as hearing aids and regular audiology appointments have been linked to a reduction in the number of falls among older adults, according to a new paper led by Dr Adele Goman of Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Health & Social Care.

This research, published today in the Lancet Public Health journal, showed that participants with hearing loss who were randomly assigned best practice hearing care reported an average of 27% fewer falls over the course of three years compared to a control group.

Falls are a leading cause of injury for older people and have rising mortality rates, while hearing loss is highly prevalent among those aged 70 and above. However, existing evidence on the effect of hearing aids on falls is mixed, and limited by the methodology of previous studies.

Goman and her colleagues analysed data from the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) study, a three-year, unmasked, randomised controlled trial of adults aged 70–84 years in the USA designed to study the effect of intervention on cognitive abilities and other health outcomes, such as falls.

The ACHIEVE study was funded by the National Institute on Aging, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.  It was conducted by a consortium of eight universities in the United States and led by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.

The 977 ACHIEVE study participants, all of whom had hearing loss, were randomly assigned to either receive a hearing intervention or to a health education control intervention. Those randomly assigned to the hearing intervention were offered regular one-to-one audiologist appointments, bilateral hearing aids, the option of additional hearing assistive devices, device use support and educational materials. The health education control intervention group received the same number of appointments with a health educator and more broad educational content on healthy aging.

For this paper, participants were asked to report the number of falls they had experienced over a period of three years. Data indicate that participants who received the hearing intervention reported an average of 27% fewer falls over the course of three years compared to a control group.

Dr Goman’s is the first known large-scale randomised control trial that has examined the effect of hearing intervention on falls.

The researchers believe the reduced number of falls among the hearing intervention group could be down to improved auditory input enhancing spatial awareness, or from having to devote less attention to processing auditory input allowing for more attention to be placed on maintaining postural control.

They are now working on a follow-up study with participants to examine the longer-term effects of hearing intervention on brain health, falls, and other health outcomes.

Dr Adele Goman said: “Hearing loss has previously been associated with a greater risk of falling among older adults, but few studies have directly investigated the connection.

“It is possible that the benefit of improved hearing may have enhanced the spatial environmental awareness of these participants, or that the lower demand on cognitive resources for hearing allowed them to focus more on their movement.

“As this is the first study of its kind, more research is needed to establish our conclusion that hearing intervention may reduce the overall average rate of falls. Our ongoing follow-up will also aim to tell us more about the effect over a longer period of time.

“We hope that these findings have the potential to inform researchers and health professionals, and address a leading cause of injury among older people.”

Animation lecturer hunting industry terms needing a BSL sign

Jon Mortimer’s project aims to make animation and visual effects careers more accessible

An Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) lecturer is hoping to make animation, visual effects and gaming more inclusive – by identifying industry and technical phrases that need their own sign in British Sign Language (BSL).

Award-winning animator Jon Mortimer was inspired by his efforts to learn BSL alongside his 4-year-old son, as well as experience of supporting deaf students at ENU, where he teaches 3D animation and modelling.

Jon leads the community project, Animsign, with the aim of gathering words from the world of animation that don’t currently have a specific BSL sign. He took the research to industry events around the world to seek suggestions from professionals, educators and signers.

Following his work with the deaf community and industry to develop new signs, Jon created an animated explainer video to help get the word out and provide further information.

An Animsign pilot at a conference in Scotland helped to pinpoint 74 terms which needed a new sign, such as WIP (work in progress), pipeline and props.

Jon is now inviting members of the deaf community, educators and animation and games professionals who are interested in being involved with Animsign to reach out, and work towards developing a BSL glossary of animation and gaming terminology.

There are thought to be more than 70 million sign language users worldwide, with more than 300 different sign languages. It is hoped that having a more accessible breadth of BSL terms could open potential new career opportunities to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Jon said: “Gaps in language can put people starting out in animation at a major disadvantage. It is like looking up a technical term in the dictionary and finding a blank page.

“Our aim with Animsign is to create a bridge between the animation and games sectors and the deaf community.

“My family and I have been learning BSL to support my son, who currently has limited language. Learning sign language has allowed him to express himself so much more than before.

“I think it is so important that we work with people from the deaf community and not for them, which is what I have aimed to do throughout this project, while also working with deaf artists.

“The hope is that with support like this we can make the process of learning about animation more accessible.

“You don’t need to be an animator to work in animation. This could open up a whole range of careers to talented people who have stories to tell.”

Jon now hopes to take this research further by forming focus groups of animation & games professionals, educators and sign language users to develop a glossary of new signs. He is encouraging anyone and everyone to get in touch with him and talk about his research.