Originally from Cornwall, Hedley Roberts was the first of his family to attend further and higher education. He first went to Plymouth College of Art saturday art school at the age of fifteen. From there, he attended Falmouth School of Art Foundation Programme, then Central Saint Martins BA Fine Art Printmaking & Photomedia. At Central Saint Martins he won a travel scholarship to study at the School of Visual Art, New York. After graduating from Central Saint Martins in 1996, Hedley studied MA Printmaking at the Royal College of Art. At Royal College of Art he won a scholarship residency at the Cultural Palace of Asilah, Morroco. Following his MA, Hedley was awarded a Stanley Picker Fellowship Artist in Residence at Kingston University in 1997 and two successive Artist in Residence fellowships at the Royal College of Art in Printmaking and Computer Art in 1998 and 1999. 

In 2012, Hedley Roberts completed his Doctorate in Fine Art at the University of East London, the UK's only Professional Doctorate in Fine Art. His Doctoral title is "Love and Other Stories; Kissing, Inbetweenness, and Mutual Give and Take" 

Hedley Roberts' arts practice meditates on themes of ‘love lost and lamented’. The pathos in his expressive figurative paintings and video installations consider our searching for completeness, our desires for connectedness, our longing to fit, blend, merge or wed another. His practice is influenced by Roland Barthes’ A Lover’s Discourse, psychoanalytical theory, the work of Merleau-Ponty, hollywood love films, narratives of popular music and teen blogging cultures. Hedley's practice looks for satiation in moments of passion, only to find adolescent anxiety, emotional crisis and broken hearts in the face of such romantic ideals. 

Hedley is the curator of Directional Forces, an annual arts residency programme which was recently conducted at Artoll Germany with fifteen artists, including Cedric Christie, Ivan Lam and students from the Professional Doctorate in Fine Art at the University of East London. 

His work has been presented nationally and internationally including at the International Symposium of Electronic Arts Japan, Superdeluxe Gallery Tokyo Japan, Artoll Germany, Annexe Gallery Malaysia, Nanyang Academy of Fine Art Singapore, Susak Biennual Croatia, APT London and Vyner Street Gallery London. His work is in several private collections in the UK, Europe and South East Asia. 

Dr Hedley Roberts has been an academic in Art & Design at the University of East London since 2005. Prior to this he was Senior Lecturer in Digital Arts at the University of West London for six years. He has lectured in Fine Art and Graphics in many UK institutions since 1996, including the Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins College of Art, Camberwell College of Arts, Middlesex University, Hertfordshire University, Lincoln University, Kingston University, Coventry University, North Oxfordshire College and School of Art and Lewisham College. 

Subject Director for the Field of Digital Arts and Visual Communication since 2008. This area includes Extended Degree, Foundation Degree, Bachelors Degree and Masters degree programmes in Graphic Design, Moving Image, Animation, Illustration, Photography and Printmaking delivered at UEL, Barking and Dagenham College, and Linton College, Legenda Education Group Malaysia, as well as articulation partnerships with TAR College Malaysia, Dasin College Malaysia and Cosmopoint Malaysia. 

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy since 2008
• UEL Teaching Fellow 2010-12
• School Leader for Learning and Teaching 2009-2011
• Member of School Quality Committee 2008 - current
• Member of School Management Team 2008- current
• Member of School Curriculum Development Committee 2012-current
• Member of School Board

In his role as a course and curriculum designer, Dr Hedley Roberts has led over twenty-five programmes through validation and revalidation at UEL, including undergraduate Bachelors degree programmes in Digital Arts, Moving Image, Animation, Illustration Graphic Arts, Graphic Design, Photography and postgraduate Masters programmes in Graphic Design and Photography. He has also undertaken several key roles in the memorandum of understanding, curriculum development and quality assurance of collaborative partnership franchises. In previous institutions he partnered with Demontfort University, University of West London and Kingston College on undergraduate degree programmes in Fine Art and Digital Arts. Since being at UEL, Dr Roberts has led the validation of collaborative undergraduate degree programmes in Graphic Design and Moving Image with Havering College, collaborative  FDA programmes and degree top-ups in Animation and Photography at Barking & Dagenham College, collaborative undergraduate degree programmes in Graphic Design, Photography, Animation and Illustration at Linton University College, Legenda Education Group Malaysia, and developed articulation programmes with TAR College Malaysia , Dasin College Malaysia and Cosmopoint Malaysia. Between 2006-8 Hedley was Adjunct Professor at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology Malaysia leading the UEL MA in International Contemporary Art & Design Practice, designed as a staff development programme for Limkowing Academic Faculty.

In his learning and teaching role, Hedley has made significant contribution to the development of digital media technologies in the enhancement of art and design pedagogic practice at UEL, particularly in the use of social media for the development of learning communities. This work has led to papers and presentations, has been identified as good practice in Institutional and Subject Reviews, and Quality Auditing in UEL and Collaborative Partnerships. 

Dr Hedley Roberts is currently working on the development of a Professional Doctorate in Design, which is subject to validation in 2012-13. 

Research Interests

Fine Art practice; Painting, Sculpture, Installation, Digital Arts, Graphics, Printmaking, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary practices. Contemporary Arts Practice, with specific interest in Contemporary Arts in Malaysia and South East Asia. 

Selected Images

Roberts, H (2012) Exhibition Installation: "Love & Other Stories". Photograph by Ralph Hall. 

Galleries of Hedley Roberts' art work can be accessed at

web: www.hedleyroberts.co.uk

facebook page: www.facebook.com/hedleyroberts

tumblr blog: http://hedley-roberts.tumblr.com/

• Module Leader for DV3002 Exhibition, Presentation and Production
• Programme Tutor for MA Design Suite, Negotiated Practice Module. 
• Module Tutor, Illustration 1 module. 

Curatorial Projects

2013, Directional Forces 2013, Artoll, Germany (curator) Residency of UEL Doctorate in Fine Art students and international artists. Residency and Exhibition Project conceived, managed and curated by Hedley Roberts

2012, East is East, Annexe Gallery, Kuala Lumpur (curator) Showcase of UEL staff and students art and design work. Work exhibited: digital textile print on silk. Exhibition Project conceived, managed and curated by Hedley Roberts

2012, East is East, CDS Gallery, NAFA, Singapore (curator) Showcase of UEL staff and students art and design work. Work exhibited: digital textile print on silk. Exhibition Project conceived, managed and curated by Hedley Roberts

2012, Directional Forces 2012, Artoll, Germany (curator) Residency of UEL Doctorate in Fine Art students and international artists. Residency and Exhibition Project conceived, managed and curated by Hedley Roberts http://directionalforces2012.tumblr.com/

2008, UEL Digital Art and Moving Image Showcase, Trinity Buoy Wharf, London, UK

Selected Group Exhibitions (last 5 years)

2012, UEL at the Financial Services Authority Work exhibited: The Country Alliance, painting.

2011, Loop Extra, Edinburgh Festival, Scotland, Film Festival. Work exhibited: Sometimes I think You’ll Never Leave. Film Loop

2011, Loop, Barcelona, Spain, Film Festival.Work exhibited: Sometimes I think You’ll Never Leave. Film Loop

2010, If You’ve Got Nothing to Say, Don’t Say it Here, Centre D’Art Contemporain, Madagascar Film Festival. Work exhibited: 2 paintings.

2011, Wunderkammer, Artoll, Germany Invited Residency of international artists.9 paintings produced during residency. 6 exhibited.

2010, Unreliable Narrator, Vyner Street Gallery, London, UK Group Show, Hedley Roberts, Martin Barrett, Garry Doherty, Pete

Nevin. Work Exhibited: Various Paintings, Video Loop

2010, Family, Susak Biennual, Croatia Invited Residency of international artists.Site Specific video installation. Curated by Cedric Christie

2010, Thinking Hand, APT Gallery, London, UK Group Show, UEL Fine Art Doctorate Artists. Work Exhibited: La Belle Bete

2009, Mythical Lyrical, Sueli Turner Gallery, London UK Group Show, Invited Artists. Curated by Pete Cobb. Work Exhibited: A Country Alliance

Joint Exhibitions

2008, Conjoin:me, Super Deluxe Gallery, Tokyo, Japan Collaborative project with Sian-Kate Mooney. Installation of Art-Fashion Sculptures, digital projections and soundscapes.

Professional Doctorate in Fine Art Exhibitions

2012, Love & Other Stories, AVA Galleries, London UK

2012, Work In Progress, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2011, Showcase, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2011, Work In Progress, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2010, Showcase, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2010, Work In Progress, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2009, Showcase, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2009, Work In Progress, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2008, Showcase, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2008, Work In Progress, AVA Gallery, London, UK

Residencies

2011, Directional Forces 2012, Artoll, Artist in Residence, Germany (Curator and residency organizer)

2010, Summerlabor, Artoll, Artist in Residence, Germany

2010, Susak Biennial, Croatia

2004, Southern Collaboative Arts Network (with James Coupe)

1998, Royal College of Art Computer Art Fellowship

1997, Royal College of Art Printmaking Fellowship

1996, Stanley Picker Fellowship, Kingston University

1994, Cultural Palace of Asilah, Morocco

1993, School of Visual Arts, New York

Learning & Teaching Pedagogic Research & Practice

Roberts, H (2012 - forthcoming) "Directional Forces 2012", UEL Practice as Research Symposium Series, University of East London, UK

Roberts, H (2012), "This is not a book: Social media and learning in art and design" presentation ARLIS, London, UK

Roberts, H (2011), "Dr Who: Sharing Learning Experiences Across Space and Time" UEL Collaborative Partners Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Roberts, H (2011), "UELTalent: Showcasing creative excellence and providing entrepreneurship opportunities for art and designgraduates",UEL Research and Knowledge Exchange Conference, University of East London, UK

Roberts, H (2011), "Social Learning in the Digital Age of Art and Design Higher Education", National Society of Art and Design Education Conference 2011, London, UK

Roberts, H (2010), "Netbooks for All: digital technologies for the enhancement of learning environments", Learning and Teaching Conference, UEL

Roberts, H (2010), "Web2.0 Learning Technologies in The School of Architecture and the Visual Arts". UELConnect Conference, UEL

David Durkee, Stephen Brant, Pete Nevin, Annette Odell, Godfried Williams, Divina Melomey, Hedley Roberts, Chris Imafidon, Roy Perryman, Anna Lopes. (2009) Implementing e-learning and Web 2.0 innovation: Didactical scenarios and practical implication. Industry and Higher Education (2009) Volume: 23, Issue: 4, Publisher: IP Publishing Ltd. Pages: 293-300

Odell, A; Nevin, P and Roberts, H (2008) Education in your Face(book)!,  7th European Conference on e-Learning, Cyprus

Roberts, H (2008), VLE’s and Webtools, Learning and Teaching Conference, UEL

Roberts, H (2008), Studio without walls: expanding the learning environment with social media, Learning and Teaching Conference, UEL

Roberts, H (2008), Webtools ARLIS, Chelsea School of Art, London 

Roberts, H (2006), Blended and E-Learning, an evaluation of UELPlus (Blackboard Vista) for teaching and Learning within and Art and Design Environment, Architecture and the Visual Arts”, paper, University of East London, UK

Scholarly Roles

2011, Visiting Professor Samporna Foundation, Indonesia

2009-12, Visiting Professor, Legenda Education Group, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2006-8, Adjunct  Professor, Limkokwing Creative Technologies University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2010-12, UEL Teaching Fellowship in recognition of excellence in learning & teaching practice

2009-12, External Examiner for MA Contemporary Arts Practice, Coventry University

2008-12, Subject Director for Digital Arts and Visual Communication, University of East London, UK

2006-8 Programme Leader for International Contemporary Art and Design Practice Overseas Programme

2006-2008 Programme Leader for BA Digital Arts, University of East London, UK

1998-2005 Senior Lecturer in Digital Arts, University of West London

Education in Your Face(book)

A Odell, P Nevin, H Roberts

This paper describes the initial stage of a one-year research project on the potential value of Facebook as a social networking tool within Higher Education. The project is being run within the School of Architecture and the Visual Arts (AVA) and funded internally by the University of East London (UEL). Research into Facebook was felt to be necessary since there are clearly identifiable risks for an institution or individual in terms of, for example, reputation, when using Social Networking Sites. The main research question was, therefore, whether the educational benefits of using Facebook outweigh the risks and, if so, how the risks could be eliminated or adequately managed. There are two stages to the project. During the first stage - currently near completion - we aim to clarify the positive and negative factors associated with the use of Facebook for educational purposes. This is the major focus of this paper. We have collated the major issues cited in the literature and then illustrated these with the reported experience of just a small group of staff and students using Facebook during the academic semester beginning February 2008. Conclusions at this stage are necessarily tentative, but already we have an impression that there are certainly educational gains to be made through the use of Social Networking Sites - with the usual caveat that the tool should be a good fit in the educational context. At the next stage we aim to use our literature and data analysis in the creation of a questionnaire which will be administered to a much wider number of staff and students in a wider number of contexts, thereby achieving greater statistical validity on which to base our final conclusions. If positive, the final conclusions can then inform such things as institutional policy, contracts of use, and 'good practice guidelines' for staff and students.

Interactive 3D Forensic Visualisation: Virtual Interactive Prototype

Eddie Soon Eu Hui, Hedley Roberts, Daniela Leva

This paper focuses on virtual reality application utilising a design approach to produce an interactive prototype for the usage of visualization and reconstruction of forensic research. This involves different levels of 3D simulation and animation resulting in variations of outputs. This proposed interactive prototype would serve as a guide to research the process of developing predefined outcomes of forensic training and archiving particularly in Malaysia. The research looks into developing a virtual forensic lab that serves as an online community of forensic researchers, and has potential to grow over time. The virtual lab also serves as a database library of existing forensic cases that are translated to a digital form. The application also generates new object-oriented environments enabling new conditions and situations that are not based on existing archive cases. This paper focuses on the methodology of the prototype creation.

Implementing e-learning and Web 2.0 innovation: Didactical scenarios and practical implications

David Durkee, Stephen Brant, Pete Nevin, Annette Odell, Godfried Williams, Divina Melomey, Hedley Roberts, Chris Imafidon, Roy Perryman, Anna Lopes

The paper presents practical implications for teachers who in particular would like to incorporate e-learning and Web 2.0 technologies into their pedagogy. A functional focus concentrates on applied didactical scenarios and the impacts of e-learning innovations. The methods applied stem from grounded theory and action research. An analytical framework was derived by inverting problem based learning (PBL). Three best practices of University of East London (UEL) have been woven into a narrative which abstractly follows the framework. The results show a number of didactical scenarios and their alternatives. The areas covered stem from the formal Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), authentication and trust, through to the use of Web 2.0 technologies like Facebook, YouTube, Skype and Eluminate. Due to ubiquitous computing, the paper becomes topical for all who have an interest in online collaboration and learning, especially those in industry considering how to benefit from tools like Skype and Facebook.

A PDF brouchure can be accessed at  http://hedleyroberts.info