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Staff Profile

Professor Dave Kirk

Prof of Human Computer Interaction, Director of Research

  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 20 84630
  • Personal Website:
  • Address: School of Computing
    Â鶹´«Ã½
    Open Lab,
    Urban Sciences Building
    Â鶹´«Ã½ Helix
    NE4 5TG
Background

I am Professor of Human-Computer Interaction and Director of Research for the School of Computing. I am a founding member of Open Lab and was Lab Director for 6 years. My research is principally in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Human-Centred Design. Over 20 years my work has touched on a range of application areas (having worked with a large number of excellent PhD students) but at the core my research is about using design research methods (including field research, prototyping and speculation) to help us understand the nature of the digital human experience so that we can design better, more meaningful, interactive technologies and services.


Previous Positions:

Post-Doc - Socio-Digital Systems group Microsoft Research Cambridge

Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction - University of Nottingham

Senior Lecturer in Experience Centred Design & Reader in Cultural Computing - Â鶹´«Ã½

Professor of Digital Living - Northumbria University


My training:

BSc (Hons) Psychology (First Class) - University of York

MSc Ergonomics (Distinction) - Loughborough University

PhD Computer Science - University of Nottingham



Research

Areas of expertise: Video-Mediated Communication; Memory, Memorialisation and Cultural Heritage; Human-Data Interaction; Human-Building Interaction and Smart Homes; Digital Civics and Citizens; Humanitarian HCI; Human-Robot Interaction; Digital Health and Wellbeing; Slow Technology; Design Futures; Human-AI Interactions


Major Current Projects:


(£4.7M + matched funding) - I inherited this programme as Principal Investigator and safely saw it through to completion with the last cohorts of students and supervised 11 of them (finishing 2025).


(£3.8M + matched funding) - Principal Investigator - a multi-university partnership exploring the community-centred design of technologies and services for civic engagement and empowerment (finishing 2026).


(£3.4M + matched funding) - Co-Investigator and Training and Skill Lead - led the bid development for this regional health and care focused hub - partnering with 6 universities and over 40 partner organisations. Working heavily with Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners to develop the local digital health and care technologies innovation ecosystem (finishing 2026).


(£6.1M + matched) - Co-Investigator - exploring the sensitive and ethical design and development of at-home technologies (computer vision and wearable tech) to support continuous monitoring of Parkinson’s Disease symptoms during clinical trials (finishing 2028).


- Dementia Network+ - Co-Investigator - exploring future care pathways and digital innovation for supporting people living with Dementia.


Teaching

I currently teach on:


CSC8606 Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction and UX

CSC8022 Human-Computer Interaction


I also supervise undergrad and master dissertations and supervise PhDs. Please contact me directly if you are interested in PhD research.

 

Publications

  • Articles

    • Bowen S, Rowling H, Kirk D. . ACM Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage 2026, 19(1), 1-22.
    • Hodge J, Foley S, Lambton-Howard D, Booi L, Montague K, Coulter S, Kirk D, Morrissey K. . ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction 2023, 30(3), 46.
    • Margariti EK, Ali R, Benthem de Grave R, Verweij D, Smeddinck J, Kirk D. . Frontiers in Computer Science 2021, 3, 673585.
    • Rogage K, Kirk D, Charlton J, Nally C, Swords J, Watson R. . International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction 2021, 37(11), 1028-1048.
    • Goffe L, Uwamahoro NS, Dixon CJ, Blain AP, Danielsen J, Kirk D, Adamson AJ. . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020, 17(24), 9260.
    • Zhao SC, Kirk D, Bowen S, Chatting D, Wright PC. . ACM Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage 2019, 12(4), 1-19.
    • Green DP, Fuchsberger V, Taylor N, Bjørn P, Kirk D, Lindtner S. . Human–Computer Interaction 2019, 34(5-6), 379-388.
    • Zhao SC, Kirk D, Bowen S, Wright PC. . The International Journal of Intangible Heritage 2019, 14, 139-154.
    • Schofield T, Whitelaw M, Kirk D. . Digital Scholarship in the Humanities 2017, 132(Suppl 1), i103-i120.
    • Elsden C, Kirk DS, Durrant A. . Human–Computer Interaction 2016, 31(6), 518-557.
    • Schofield T, Kirk D, Amaral T, Dörk M, Whitelaw M, Schofield G, Ploetz T. . Digital Humanities Quarterly 2015, 9(3), 1-15.
    • Durrant A, Kirk DS, Benford S, Rodden T. . Computer Supported Collaborative Work 2012, 21(1), 43-75.
    • Kirk DS, Sellen A. . ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction 2010, 17(3), 10.
    • Lindley S, Durrant AC, Kirk D, Taylor AS. . International Journal of Human-Computer Studies 2009, 67(12), 995-1004.

  • Book Chapters

    • Nabil S, Kirk D. . In: People, Personal Data and the Built Environment. Springer, 2019, pp.103-122.
    • Durrant AC, Golembewski M, Kirk DS. . In: Blythe, M; Monk, A, ed. Funology 2. Cham: Springer, 2018, pp.129-155.

  • Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

    • Baker AL, Kirk D, Blythe M. . In: International Association of Societies of Design Research Congress (IASDR 2025). 2025, Taipei, Taiwan.
    • Hutchinson JW, Vlachokyriakos V, Jones R, Evans M, Johnson IG, Kirk D. Exploring Future Media Ecologies with Community Organizations: Designing for Uses, Needs and Aspirations. In: C&T '25: 12th International Conference on Communities & Technologies. 2025. In Preparation.
    • Hutchinson JW, Vlachokyriakos V, Kirk D, Johnson IG, Evans M, Jones R. . In: Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2025, Association for Computing Machinery.
    • Margariti E, Claisse C, Nabil S, Bridgens B, Durrant A, Kirk D. . In: ACM Designing Interactive Systems. 2024, Copenhagen, Denmark: Association for Computing Machinery.
    • Altwala N, Bull C, Kirk D. . In: 12th International Conference on Human-Agent Interaction (HAI '24). 2024, Swansea, UK: ACM.
    • Margariti E, Vlachokyriakos V, Durrant AC, Kirk D. . In: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '24). 2024, Honolulu, Hawaii: Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA.
    • Margariti E, Vlachokyriakos V, Kirk D. . In: 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’23). 2023, Hamburg, Germany: ACM.
    • Nicholson R, Bartindale T, Kharrufa A, Kirk D, Walker-Gleaves C. . In: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’22). 2022, New Orleans: ACM.
    • Bowyer A, Holt J, Go Jefferies J, Wilson R, Kirk D, Smeddinck JS. . In: CHI '22: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2022, New Orleans, LA, USA: Association of Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA.
    • Margariti E, Kirk D. . In: Actuated Materials and Soft Robotics Strategies for Human-Computer Interaction Design: Workshop on Soft Robotics for HCI (ACM CHI'22 Conference). 2022, New Orleans, LA, USA: ACM.
    • Rowling H, Bowen S, Kirk D. . In: Participatory Design Conference (PDC 22). 2022, Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne, UK: ACM.
    • Nicholson R, Kirk D, Bartindale T. . In: ACM International Conference on Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction. 2021, Salzburg: ACM.
    • Tsenova V, Wood G, Dolfini A, Tindley A, Kirk D. . In: Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '20). 2020, Honolulu, HI, USA: ACM.
    • Nabil S, Kucera J, Karastathi N, Kirk D, Wright P. . In: 2019 Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS '19). 2019, San Diego, CA, USA: ACM.
    • Strohmayer A, Marshall M, Verma N, Bopp C, McNaney R, Voida A, Kirk DS, Bidwell NJ. . In: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings. 2018, Montreal, QC, Canada: Association for Computing Machinery.
    • Nabil S, Talhouk R, Trueman J, Kirk DS, Bowen S, Wright P. . In: CHI EA '18 Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2018, Montreal, Canada: Association for Computing Machinery.
    • Durrant AC, Kirk DS, Trujillo-Pisanty D, Martindale S. . In: Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '18). 2018, Montreal, Canada: ACM.
    • Nabil S, Everitt A, Sturdee M, Alexander J, Bowen S, Wright P, Kirk D. . In: DIS '18: Proceedings of the 2018 Designing Interactive Systems Conference. 2018, Hong Kong, China.
    • Marshall M, Vines J, Wright P, Kirk DS, Lowe T, Wilson R. . In: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings. 2018, Montreal QC, Canada: Association for Computing Machinery.
    • Chen K-L, Clarke R, Almeida T, Wood M, Kirk DS. . In: CHI '17 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2017, Denver, CO, USA: Association for Computing Machinery.
    • Green DP, Fuchsberger V, Kirk D, Taylor N, Chatting D, Meissner J, Murer M, Tscheligi M, Lindtner S, Bjorn P, Reiter A. . In: CHI EA '17: Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2017, Denver, Colorado: ACM.
    • Elsden C, Chatting D, Durrant AC, Garbett A, Nissen B, Vines J, Kirk DS. . In: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2017, Denver, Colorado, USA: ACM.
    • Chatting D, Kirk DS, Durrant AC, Elsden C, Yurman P, Bichard JA. . In: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2017, Denver, Colorado, USA: ACM.
    • Chatting D, Wilkinson G, Marshall K, Desjardins A, Green D, Kirk D, Boucher A. . In: CHI EA '17: Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2017, Denver, Colorado: ACM.
    • Elsden C, Durrant AC, Chatting D, Kirk DS. . In: Designing Interactive Systems (DIS '17). 2017, Edinburgh, United Kingdom: ACM.
    • Kirk D, Durrant A, Wood G, Leong T, Wright P. . In: Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS 2016). 2016, Brisbane, Australia: ACM.
    • Kirk DS, Durrant A, Wood G, Leong TW, Wright P. . In: 2016 ACM Conference on Designing Interactive Systems DIS 2016. 2016, Brisbane, Australia: ACM.
    • Kirk D, Chatting D, Yurman P, Bichard J. . In: ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2016. 2016, San Jose, CA, USA: ACM.
    • Elsden C, Mellor S, Olivier P, Wheldon P, Kirk D, Comber R. . In: ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2016. 2016, San Jose, CA, USA: ACM.
    • Elsden C, Nissen B, Garbett A, Chatting D, Kirk D, Vines J. . In: CHI '16: Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2016, San Jose, CA, USA: ACM Press.
    • Elsden C, Durrant A, Kirk D. . In: ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2016. 2016, San Jose, CA, USA: ACM.
    • Marshall M, Kirk D, Vines J. . In: CHI '16: Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2016, San Jose, CA, USA: ACM Press.
    • Schofield T, Kirk D, Whitelaw M. . In: Digital Humanities. 2015, Sydney, Australia: Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations (ADHO).
    • McDonald S, Kirk D, Bryan-Kinns N. . In: C and C 2015 - 2015 ACM SIGCHI Conference on Creativity and Cognition. 2015, Glasgow, UK: Association for Computing Machinery, Inc.
    • Nowacka D, Hammerla N, Elsden C, Ploetz T, Kirk D. . In: UbiComp '15 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing. 2015, Osaka, Japan: ACM.
    • Chatting DJ, Kirk DS, Yurman P, Bichard J. . In: British HCI 2015. 2015, Lincoln, UK.
    • Elsden C, Kirk DS, Selby M, Speed C. . In: Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA '15). 2015, Seoul, Republic of Korea: ACM Press.
    • Nowacka D, Kirk DS. . In: Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction (TEI '14). 2014, Munich: ACM.
    • Bichard J, Yurman P, Kirk DS, Chatting D. . In: Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference Proceedings (EPIC). 2014.
    • Durrant AC, Kirk DS, Reeves S. . In: SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '14). 2014, Toronto, Canada: ACM.
    • Odom W, Sellen A, Banks R, Kirk DS, Regan T, Selby M, Forlizzi J, Zimmerman J. . In: CHI '14: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2014, Toronto, Canada: ACM.
    • Moncur W, Kirk DS. . In: Proceedings of the 2014 Conference on Designing Interactive Systems (DIS '14). 2014, Vancouver, Canada: ACM.
    • Elsden C, Kirk DS. . In: DIS Companion '14. 2014, Vancouver, BC, Canada: ACM, New York, NY, USA.
    • Massimi M, Odom W, Banks R, Kirk D. . In: Annual Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '11). 2011, Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada: ACM Press.
    • Tuddenham P, Kirk DS, Izadi S. . In: 28th International Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2011, Atlanta, Georgia, USA: ACM Press.
    • Durrant A, Rowland D, Kirk DS, Benford S, Fischer JE, McAuley D. . In: CHI 2011: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2011, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: ACM Press.
    • Kirk DS, Izadi S, Sellen A, Taylor S, Banks R, Hilliges O. . In: CSCW 2010: Proceedings of the 2010 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work. 2010, Savannah, Georgia, USA: ACM Press.
    • Kalnikaite V, Sellen A, Whittaker S, Kirk DS. . In: 28th International Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '10). 2010, Atlanta, Georgia, USA: ACM Press.
    • Kirk DS, Sellen A, Cao X. Home Video Communication: Mediating 'Closeness'. In: ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). 2010, ACM.
    • Kirk D, Sellen A, Taylor S, Villar N, Izadi S. . In: BCS-HCI 2009: Proceedings of the 23rd British HCI Group Annual Conference on People and Computers: Celebrating People and Technology. 2009, Cambridge, UK: ACM Press.
    • Wilson AD, Izadi S, Hilliges O, Garcia-Mendoza A, Kirk D. . In: UIST 2008: Proceedings of the 21st Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology. 2008, Monterey, California, USA: ACM Press.