David Watson

David Watson BSc (Hons), DipLA, CMLI, SFHEA

Student Experience and Engagement Lead

David Watson has a background in Physical Geography, Remote Sensing, Landscape Architecture and Computer Aided Design. He is a chartered member of the Landscape Institute and spent 10 years working as a landscape architect for some of the largest practices in the UK where he pioneered the use of computer aided design and managed the transition from drawing board to computer screen. He joined the University of Greenwich in 1995 as a senior lecturer.


Initially, David taught on the BA and MA Landscape Architecture programmes and was intimately involved with the development of a new digital curriculum for both programmes. Later, he also taught on the undergraduate programmes in Garden Design, Graphic & Digital Design and 3D Digital Design.


In 2003 David launched a new master's programme in web design that he designed and developed with his colleague, Tom Turner, the first of its type in the UK. The MA Web Design & Content Planning programme is still running successfully.


Before David became a full-time academic in 2012, he ran a small consultancy, specialising in Visual Impact Assessment (VIA), producing high-accuracy photomontages and Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) analyses for landscape planning projects.


David is currently the creative/subject lead for Web at the Department of Creative Professions and Digital Arts. He is the programme leader for the MA Web Design & Content Planning programme and also teaches web-related topics on the BA Graphic & Digital Design and the BA Media & Communications programmes.


David has many personal and professional interests. His current obsession is walking the 214 Wainwrights in the English Lake District. David's personal blog has more details about this than anyone needs.

Responsibilities within the university

Course Leader for MA Web Design and Content Planning Creative/Subject Lead (Web)
Programme Leader
Departmental marketing co-ordinator
External panel member on the Faculty Learning Innovation Group (Health & Education)
Member of the Faculty Student Experience Committee (Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Research / Scholarly interests

David's pedagogical research has its focus on the student experience and specifically on student engagement. He has a particular interest in staff/student communication and is experimenting with a number of digital platforms.