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Maki Wardle

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My CV


Hello, I’m Maki. I’m a researcher, immersive technologist and game developer. 



I currently work as an AHRC-funded Collaborative Doctoral Researcher based between the University of York and MOLA Archaeology. My PhD project, 'Hacking the Big Smoke: Alternate Reality Games and London's Archaeology' investigates using alternate reality games to generate open, participatory and playful new approaches to archaeological ‘dark matter’ —invisible biological and geological traces that archaeologists heavily rely on but that the rest of us never get to see— in the unique context of London's Victoria Underground Station. 

Alongside my PhD, between January and July 2025 I will be doing an R&D internship in XR for human space exploration within the European Space Agency’s ExPeRT division.

Before beginning my PhD, I worked at Buro Happold in London as a Geospatial Game Developer. At BH, I established a track record for writing on successful multi-million pound bids for Digital Twin contracts around the world, developed innovative new procedural rendering methods for an Epic MegaGrants-funded Digital Twin in Unreal Engine, and was Lead UX Researcher and Senior UX/UI Designer for major public digital twin contracts in the UK and Saudi Arabia.

In July 2022, I graduated at the top of my class from the first cohort of the BSc in Immersive Systems Design 
(3D Modelling specialisation) at The Glasgow of Art. My practice combines this rigorous technical foundation in the craft and science of 3D modelling and XR development with interdisciplinary research skills in heritage, ecology and urbanism.

I am regularly invited to give lectures and workshops on the theory and design of immersive and interactive media and have taught at the University of St Andrews, The Glasgow School of Art, the University of York, and Tallinn University in Estonia.


    Tools:

    • 6+ years experience in XR development in Unity C# and Unreal Engine C++ for desktop, mobile, web, Oculus, HoloLens, SteamVR and more.
    • Expertise in 3D modelling in 3DS Max, Blender and ZBrush and material design in Substance and Quixel.
    • Fluent across the entire Adobe CC suite.
    • JavaScript development inc. Node and p5.js.
    • Professional user of QGIS and PostGIS.
    • AWS, Azure and Google Cloud.

    Awards:

    • Santander Grant 2023
    • The Glasgow School of Art Chair’s Medal in Simulation and Visualisation 2022


    Conference Papers and Workshops:
    Exhibitions:

    • Keeping the Hammer’s Voice Alive, Casa del Alabado Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, Quito - 15th of June to 15th of September 2024

    Guest Lectures and Seminars:

    • Imaging/Imagining/Virtual and Digital Art, for the MRes in Anthropology, Art and Perception at the University of St Andrews, 28th of November 2024
    • Hacking the Big Smoke: Alternate Reality Games and London’s Archaeology for the MSc in Digital Design at the University of York, 18th of November 2024
    • World Building with Apps and Games for the MSc in Digital Archaeology/Digital Heritage at the University of York, 13th of November 2024
    • Guest Lecture at the School of Innovation & Technology, Glasgow School of Art, 31st of January 2024
    • Imaging/Imagining/Virtual and Digital Art, for the MRes in Anthropology, Art and Perception at the University of St Andrews, 23rd of November 2023
    • Mapping Materials and Materiality: Points of Interest for Creative Technolgists, for the First Year Colab-1 Module at the School of Simulation and Visualisation, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, 15th of November 2022
    • Remnant: Fife’s Post-Conflict Concrete Landscape in VR at ISOdesign, Glasgow, 13th of July 2022

    ©2024 Maximiliano (Maki) Wardle