Mike Simpson

Code-Monkey and Professional Nerd

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my website. My name is Mike Simpson, and I'm a Research Software Engineer and former Game Developer, based in the North-East of England.

On this site, you will find information about my eclectic skills, hobbies and interests, including my research software and gaming portfolios, as well as a blog about a range of topics that includes writing, gaming and mental health.

Background

Click the items below to learn more about my background and experience.

Research Software Engineer

I was a founding member of the Research Software Engineering team at Newcastle University. I have worked with researchers across a wide range of disciplines to design, build and maintain the software that underpins their research. This includes writing and refactoring research code, advising on best practices, testing and long-term sustainability, plus helping researchers get the most out of their data through the use of interactive data visualisations.

Institute for Research Software Fellow

In 2025, I was named a Fellow of the Institute for Research Software. The aim of my fellowship was to continue the conversation about mental health in the research software community. I gave a series of talks, collected tips and advice for individuals and managers, and produced resources, including a website, stickers and leaflets to support mental health in the workplace.

Society of RSE Trustee & President

Since 2023, I've served as a Trustee of the Society of Research Software Engineering. In 2024, I was elected Vice-President, and in 2026 I was re-elected and became President. In this role, I help guide the strategic direction of the Society, supporting its mission to promote the importance of software within research, improve recognition and career opportunities for RSES, and to represent the interests of the RSE community.

Research Associate

After completing my PhD, I worked as a Research Associate in the Digital Institute at Newcastle University, where I contributed to a number of research projects, mainly through the application of digital skills to enable that research.

  • More on the projects and publications I have contributed to on the Research page.

PhD (Computing Science)

I returned to University in 2011 to complete a PhD in Computer Science, which involved using techniques and technologies from the games industry to build and evaluate real time simulations of rail vehicles, in collaboration with researchers from NewRail.

Game Programmer

I was offered an industrial placement at Midway Studios Newcastle during my MSc. I developed a tool to mangage complex road networks in large video game environments.

I then worked at a local studio as a game programmer, working on many features including gameplay, sound, physics and interface programming; on game-specific code for several different games and work on the company's shared codebase.

Contributed to titles including

Hobbies and Interests

Click the items below to find out more about what I get up to in my spare time.

Writing

I'm a lifelong fan of sci-fi and fantasy, and an aspiring writer. I believe that an ability to tell engaging stories is a vital skill when it comes to science communication and advocacy. I enjoy writing fiction, as well as blog posts about a range of topics, including mental health.

Highlights include:

  • "I am your Father" - a blog series about how I became a father during lockdown.
  • "The Journey" - a short story based on my experiences with mental health, shortlisted in a competition by Mind.
  • "How Writing Saved My Life" - a blog post about how I use writing as a tool to manage my mental health.

More examples can be found on the Writing page and my blog.

Game Development

I like to develop my own games in my spare time, partly because I enjoy the process, but also to help me hone my software engineering, project management and creative skills.

  • For more information about some of these projects, check out my Game Portfolio.

3D Graphics

I learned to use Blender, the open-source 3D creation suite, for a series of projects involving interactive 3d data visualisations. I have also been developing my 3D modelling skills in my spare time via a range of creative projects.

Photography

I am also a keen photographer who has worked professionally at a number of events. I'm currently working on improving my skills and building up a portfolio, though for now, I am treating it as more of a hobby.

About This Site

Click below to learn more about how this website was developed.

About this Website

I chose to learn how to build a modern website using Jekyll, a static site generator, as well as how to use GitHub actions to deploy the site using GitHub Pages. The source code is available on GitHub.

The site was previously managed using WordPress, and I am currently in the process of migrating content from my old WordPress site and updating the design and content.

MDSimpson.co.uk © 2026