Dr Marianne Patera

Lecturer in Future Media Technology and Production

Programme Leader: MSc Animation

Dave guitaring

Contact details

Email: M.Patera@salford.ac.uk

Telephone: 0161 295 3781

Location: MediaCityUK

Profile

I joined the School of CSE in September 2009 as a Lecturer in Future Media. Previously, I was working at the Digital Design Studio at the Glasgow School of Art where in 2003 I gained an MPhil in 2D/3D Animation and in 2009 I finished a PhD. The areas I specialise include 3D animation, Virtual Reality applications, educational technology, colour education and interface design evaluation. My research interests usually combine art/design, education and computer science. I have collaborated with researchers, academics and post-graduate students from a range of subject areas such as Information and Computer Science, Psychology, Engineering, Education and Environment Sciences for a number of research and commercial projects

Teaching

I deliver modules related to 3D animation and video production on the following courses:

MA/MSc in Animation
MSc in Professional Sound and Video Technology
BSc (Hons) Audio Technology
BSc (Hons) Digital Broadcast Technology
BSc (Hons) Multimedia and Internet Technology

Technical Skills

I have been using 3D animation and post-production software packages since 2000. While at the Digital Design Studio at the Glasgow School of Art, I had the opportunity to work on a number of exciting and challenging research and commercial projects. The majority of them required the creation of realistic 3D models and animation, while others were primarily research-based involving user-testing and evaluation of displays, interfaces and/or new software. Some of the clients included: James Fisher Defence & Singapore Marine Technologies, SUZUKI US/Eon Reality, NESTA, 3Motion, Glasgow City Council, West Dunbartonshire Council and Clydebank Library.

Research

I am a member of the Virtual Environments and Future Media Research Centre (http://www.cse.salford.ac.uk/research/vefm.php)

My research interests include: Virtual Environments and Virtual Reality, educational technology and research, 3D visualisation applications, virtual storytelling and art and design education.
My PhD research was multidisciplinary as it merged the areas of Art and Design education, 3D visualisation technology and VR environments (VR), colour education and spatial design. I explored the potential of using 3D visualisation technologies to teach certain subjects that were difficult to explain and comprehend with existing traditional teaching methods. I conducted three case studies which involved 75 students and collaborated with tutors and other researchers. Further funding was received in 2008 by the Learning and Teaching Innovation Fund of Glasgow School of Art in order to extend the third case study in order to implement a Virtual Reality display within the Interior Design teaching studio.

In 2005 I was involved in a research project funded by NESTA which evaluated the use of an interactive VR environment created to support imaginative writing by children 10-12 years of age. Another strand of this project investigated the use of 3D visualisation and haptic VR technologies for the subject of art and design in secondary schools Recently, I am participating in “Communicating Climate Change”: a collaborative project between BBC 21cc and the University of Salford that aims to help pupils from three secondary schools (two in the England and one in China) to communicate their views and artwork on environmental issues.

Publications

Patera, M. (2009) The potential of 3D visualisation technology in Art and Design education. PhD thesis. University of Glasgow/ Glasgow School of Art.
Matus, C., Patera, M. & Neaf, M. (2009) Designing Musicology in an Interactive Environment. 6th International Conference for Research in Music Education (RIME). April 14-18, School of Education, University of Exeter, UK.
Patera, M., Draper, S. & Naef, M. (2008). Exploring Magic Cottage: a Virtual Reality Environment for Stimulating Children's Imaginative Writing. Interactive Learning Environments, 16 (3), 245-263.
Patera, M. & Draper, S.W. (2007). Colour & Interior Design: Using Virtual Reality Technology to Study the Effects of Scale. In proceedings of Designs on e-learning, 2nd International Conference on Teaching and Learning with Technology in Art Design & Communication, 12-14 September, London, UK.
Patera, M. & Draper, S.W. (2007) Do Immersive Environments Improve Interior Design Students’ Apprehension of Space? In proceedings of Designs on e-learning, 2nd International Conference on Teaching and Learning with Technology in Art Design & Communication, 12-14 September, London, UK.
Charissis, V., Naef, M., Papanastasiou, S. & M. Patera (2007) Designing a Direct Manipulation HUD Interface for In-Vehicle Infotainment, Book title: Human-Computer Interaction. Interaction Platforms and Techniques, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 4551/2007, Springer Berlin/Heidelberg, pp. 551-559
Charissis, V., Nomicos, S. & Patera, M. (2007) Prototype System for Virtual Reality Simulation and Training: Initial Implementation for Large Printing Units. 3rd International Conference on Typography and Visual Communication, ICTVC 07, From Verbal to Graphic, 20-23 June, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Charissis, V. & Patera, M. (2007) Symbolic vs Alphanumeric: Representations in Human Machine Interface Design. 9th World Congress of Semiotics, IASS-AIS 2007, Communication: Understanding/Misunderstanding, 11-17 June, Helsinki/Imatra, Finland.
Charissis. V., Arafat, S., Patera, M., Christomanos, C. & Chan, W. (2007) AI for Driving Simulator for Driving Vehicles and Accident Events. In proceedings of the International Conference in Artificial Intelligence and Applications, AIA’07, 13-15 February, Innsbruck, Austria.
Charissis, V., Naef, M. & Patera, M. (2007) Calibration requirements of an automotive HUD Interface using a Virtual Environment: Methodology and Implementation. In proceedings of the IASTED International Conference in Graphics and Visualisation in Engineering, GVE’07, 3-5 January, Clearwater, Florida, USA.
Charissis,V., Papanastasiou, S. & Patera, M. (2007) Human Machine Interface for Prototype Head Up Display: Comparative study between 2D and VR Simulation Results. In proceedings of Transport Science and Technology Congress, TRANSTEC ’07, Prague, Czech Republic.
Patera, M. & Draper, S.W. (2007) Immersive 3D visualisation and teaching colour use to interior designers. CAL 07, Development, Disruption & Debate. 26-28 March, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
Patera, M., Naef, M. & Draper, S.W. (2006) The Magic Cottage: A Virtual Reality Environment for Stimulating Children’s Imaginative Writing. In proceedings of the 4th International Narrative and Interactive Learning Environments Conference, NILE 06, 8-11 August, Edinburgh, UK, pp. 67-75
Patera, M., Draper, S.W. & McWhirr, M. (2005) A Novel Approach to Colour Education and Comparative Testing of Physical and Digital Versions. In proceedings of Designs on e-learning, 1st International Conference on Teaching and Learning with Technology in Art Design and Communication, 14-16 September, London, UK.
Patera, M., Draper, S.W. & McWhirr, M. (2005) Using educational theory and advanced technology in colour education. In proceedings of the 10th Congress of the International Colour Association, AIC 05, 8-13 May, Granada, Spain, pp. 77-80