Matt Birch

Dr. Matt Birch is an e-Learning Developer at Queen's University Belfast's School of Nursing and Midwifery, affiliated with the Centre for Technological Innovation, Mental Health and Education (TIME). He holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) from Queen’s University Belfast (2024), supervised by Dr. Indira Bhatt and Prof. Alison MacKenzie. His work focuses on Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL), immersive technologies (VR/AR/XR), and inclusive learning design within healthcare education.

• Teaching roles include modules such as Research Policy and Practice (Social Science, Education, and Social Work), Metaverse Therapeutics (Taipei Medical University), and Practice Teaching and Learning (Nursing and Midwifery).
• Lead researcher on projects including the Virtual Intelligent Training and Adaptive Learning (VITAL) initiative (funded by international collaborations) and the Delirium Digital Resource Project (HEA Ireland-funded).
• Recipient of prestigious awards including the QUB Edenred Recognition Award (2024) and the Martha McMenamin Scholarship (2024).

Research interests include immersive learning applications in healthcare, gamification, user-centered design, and interdisciplinary education innovation. His recent work emphasizes leveraging VR for mental healthcare optimization and developing inclusive digital tools for medical education.

Birch has contributed to over 30 publications, spanning peer-reviewed articles, conference contributions, and project reports. His collaborations span multiple disciplines including nursing, engineering, and social sciences across Northern Ireland, Taiwan, and Canada.