Simon MillsView profile
Associate Professor
Simon Mills is an Associate Professor in New Media at the Leicester Media School, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media, De Montfort University (DMU), UK. He is a leading scholar in the philosophy of technology and media theory, with a specialized focus on the work of Gilbert Simondon. His research explores the philosophical underpinnings of digital media, information, and technical individuation, contributing significantly to contemporary debates on AI, big data, and ethics. PhD, University of the West of England — Gilbert Simondon: Causality, Ontogenesis & Technology PGCert(HE), De Montfort University MSc in Multimedia, Nottingham Trent University MA in Writing (Practice & Issues), Nottingham Trent University BA Hons Philosophy, University of Nottingham Simon Mills' research centers on the philosophy of technology, particularly the work of Gilbert Simondon, and its application to contemporary issues in digital media, AI, and ethics. He investigates concepts such as individuation, transduction, and the transindividual, bridging continental philosophy with media and technology studies. His work critically engages with cybernetics, information theory, and the ontology of technical objects, especially in software and data systems. His recent publications, including the monograph Gilbert Simondon: Information, Technology and Media (2016) and articles like 'Simondon and Big Data' (2015), demonstrate a consistent trajectory in analyzing the philosophical implications of big data, AI, and digital culture through Simondonian frameworks. His scholarship reveals a deep engagement with interdisciplinary themes, connecting philosophy, media studies, and computer science to critique and reimagine technological development. Simon Mills has served on the editorial advisory board of Writing Technologies and has conducted peer reviews for journals such as AI & Society , Information, Communication and Society , and Sociological Review . He has delivered invited talks and keynotes at international conferences, including events at Nankai University, Edinburgh University Press, and the University of Kent, affirming his standing in the academic community. He teaches courses in New Media theory, AI & Society, Cybernetics, and Digital Publishing. He is affiliated with the Media & Culture Research Centre (MCRC) at DMU, contributing to a vibrant research environment focused on media, technology, and culture. His ongoing work includes a forthcoming chapter in The Edinburgh Companion to Simondon (2025), where he explores the optative dimension of technical and ethical invention.










