Juan Hiriart

Dr. Juan Hiriart has been a faculty member at the University of Salford since 2010, initially joining as an External Lecturer in Game Studies before becoming a full-time Lecturer in Interactive Media Arts and Design. He has also delivered courses in digital design and creative technologies across academic programmes in Chile, Malaysia, and China.

With more than two decades of experience as an artist, designer, and coder, Dr. Hiriart brings an interdisciplinary perspective to his teaching and research. He began his creative career in 1994 as an illustrator and concept artist, producing visual content for books, storyboards, and TV commercials. From 2003 to 2007, he led a multidisciplinary team of designers, programmers, and educational researchers in the development of innovative learning resources for preschool, primary, and adult education.

Between 2009 and 2014, Dr. Hiriart worked in the games industry, designing and developing digital games for renowned clients including the BBC, ITV, United Airlines, Sony, Philips, EMI, Pepsi, Vimto, Cancer Research UK, and Cambridge ESOL. His games reached millions of players, garnered top rankings in competitive markets like the UK Apple App Store, and earned multiple industry awards such as DADI, Big Chip, Roses Design, and Webby.

Currently, Dr. Hiriart’s research focuses on the intersection of digital media and cultural preservation. He is actively collaborating with Indigenous communities in South America to help revitalise endangered languages through digital and immersive media. His work employs community-driven methodologies and participatory design approaches, aiming to preserve and promote Indigenous languages and cultural heritage in the digital age.