Biography
Professor Sally Smith MA MSc DBA FBCS PFHEA is the Dean of School of Computing at Edinburgh Napier University. Sally has an MA (Hons) in Mathematics from Aberdeen University, Scotland, an MSc in Computer Science from City University, London and a DBA from Edinburgh Napier University. Sally is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a fellow of the British Computer Society. She has previously worked in the telecommunications and aerospace industries in the UK and Europe.
She is the Director of the Centre for Computing Education Research at Edinburgh Napier University and Project Director of e-Placement Scotland, a Scottish Funding Council project creating paid placements for computing students across Scotland. She also leads on Graduate Apprenticeships at Edinburgh Napier University and is part of the management team of the Digital Skills Partnership, a project designed to improve graduate skills through industry partnership.
Sally leads the universities' Data Driven Innovation Skills activity of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland Region City Deal.
Sally’s research and teaching interests combine mobile and pervasive computing with research into the impact of work placements, student/ professional identity and apprenticeships. Between 2011 and 2018 she was on the committee of the UK Council of Professors and Heads of Computing, serving as Chair between 2014 and 2016.