meet the team

Frank Mills - Director, Coventry Enterprises (Singapore) Pte Ltd & Pro-Chancellor, Coventry University Group

Frank Mills is the Director of Coventry Enterprises (Singapore) Pte Ltd, specialising in the provision of high end, real time training simulators for Senior Commanders in Disaster and Emergency Planning environment.

Previous appointments have included a long career with British Telecom in an international customer facing environment, BT Regional Director, West Midlands and non-executive Director to BT West Midlands Board; Chair of the Solihull NHS Care Trust; Chair of Sandwell Skills & Economic Regeneration Partnership and Chair Screen and Image & Sound Economic Development Group.

James Doyle - Simulation Manager, Coventry University Group

James is a formally trained Superuser of the XVR Simulation platforms and is responsible for the day to operation, management and technical delivery of the virtual reality training scenarios provided in the leading-edge simulation centre. Working alongside educational specialists and industry professionals James develops the wide range of scenarios across varying industry sectors.

As a Superuser of the XVR Simulation systems, James is highly experienced in creating the fully immersive, real time virtual training environments used within the centre. These include, but not limited to, highway incidents, building fires, airport sites, construction sites, and environments representing mass gatherings.

James is also responsible for the ancillary elements required for creating the realistic work place environment within the centre, for example, sound, lighting effects & smells. James designs, maintains and implements the different technical facilities within the centre, working to ensure the technology in place delivers the injects accordantly and effectively for simulation-based training.

Steve Austin - Associate Dean, Engineering, Environment & Science, Coventry University

Steve has been lecturing and researching for 24 years in further and higher education, with a focus on semi-immersive training and virtual team integrated project work. He completed a BA (Hons) in Architecture at Portsmouth University in 1993, before studying his PGCE at Keele University and MSc in Management for Construction at Coventry University. He started teaching at Moulton College in 2001, ultimately being promoted to Subject Manager, before joining Coventry University in 2006.

Steve is currently the Associate Dean, Engineering, Environment & Science at Coventry University and a visiting Professor at Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada. Research projects include one funded by Hewlett Packard, aimed at developing innovative learning approaches, supported by appropriate information technology infrastructure to enhance collaboration and communication amongst construction personnel in a global context.

Another research project, funded by the Higher Education Academy, looked at the use of an innovative approach to international problem-based learning in the Built Environment education, using a real-time on-line platform, in order to enhance employability skills. In the last 9 years, Steve has completed five Erasmus+ research projects, looking at a range of European mobility language and employability skills. I am currently involved on three Erasmus+ projects looking at construction and demolition waste management training for site managers and entrepreneurial skills for construction students.

Janet Campbell - Experiential Learning Specialist, Coventry University

Janet has worked at the Simulation Centre from its conception, delivering the first course in 2009 and continuing to enhance the scope and extent of the courses we deliver. She is a Chartered Engineer, Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, an Associate Professor, a Mental Health First Aider and a formally trained facilitator, trainer and process improvement coach.

Since joining Coventry University Janet has been involved in three Erasmus+ projects; leadership and management skills for construction supervisors, construction and demolition waste management training for site managers and entrepreneurial skills for construction personnel.

Previously Janet has managed teams on construction sites, operational teams, customer relationship management and procurement teams. She has run action learning sets for the NHS, facilitated knowledge management sessions for the nuclear industry, run change programmes for a telecoms company, lean process improvements in manufacturing and leadership and management courses for the construction industry.

Emma Parkinson - Course Director, Emergency Planning and Crowded Places, Coventry University

Emma Parkinson is Course Director for post-graduate studies in Emergency Management and Resilience & Crowded Places and Public Safety Management at Coventry University, where she specialises in emergency planning, risk perception and the understanding of risk-based approaches to the interrelationship of safety and security. As a practitioner she additionally specialises in the management of crowded places, with clients that include international music festivals, sporting venues and city centres. Her interests include complex events, the management of large-scale temporary workforces and command and control arrangements for mass gathering. Her background is in the provision of large-scale stewarding services, and she is currently researching immersive simulation-based training for major event workforces.

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