Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Dr Michael Crabb is an academic leader, educator, and researcher within the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Business at the University of Dundee. His work focuses on the development of people, programmes, and academic communities, bringing together expertise in technology, education, and organisational leadership to support positive institutional and societal change.
His leadership experience spans education, research, academic management, and strategic planning. He has led major curriculum developments, supported substantial growth in student recruitment, established new educational pathways, and contributed to initiatives designed to strengthen education, research, innovation, and external engagement. His leadership approach is strongly influenced by user-centred design principles, applying techniques from Human-Computer Interaction and service design to organisational development, educational innovation, and strategy.
Michael has extensive experience of leading change within higher education, including curriculum reform, organisational development, research strategy, industry engagement, and academic planning. He is particularly interested in how universities can create environments that enable students, researchers, and professional staff to thrive while responding effectively to rapidly changing technological and societal challenges.
Alongside his leadership activities, Michael remains active in research and innovation. His work focuses on Human-Computer Interaction, accessibility, user experience, and digital media, with projects spanning education, healthcare, broadcasting, and emerging technologies. His research has attracted support from a range of public and private sector organisations and has contributed to both academic knowledge and real-world impact.
A strong advocate for collaboration and interdisciplinary working, Michael works across traditional disciplinary boundaries to connect digital technologies with wider societal challenges. His interests include academic leadership, educational transformation, research strategy, accessibility, artificial intelligence, and the role of technology in improving people's lives.
He is passionate about developing future leaders within higher education and supporting colleagues and students to achieve their full potential through inclusive, ambitious, and evidence-informed approaches to leadership and education.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Creative Strengths: Empowering Entrepreneurial Success for Future Designers
Crabb, M. (Investigator) & Huang, Y. (Investigator)
Project: Research
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EMBEDD - Engaging Minoritised Beneficiaries in Engineering Diversity Development
Chernin, L. (Investigator), Crabb, M. (Investigator), Johnston, K. (Investigator), Lewis, O. (Investigator), Pakleppa, M. (Investigator), Shamvedi, D. (Investigator), Vilnay, M. (Investigator) & Ward, K. (Investigator)
Project: Research
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KTP Project - ProjectEU
Crabb, M. (Investigator) & Newlands, M. (Investigator)
1/06/23 → 1/09/25
Project: Research
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Accessible Reality Augumented Reality Interaction Techniques with Accessibility at its Core
Crabb, M. (Investigator)
Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland
1/06/18 → 31/05/19
Project: Research
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Adaptive Teaching in Higher Education: Real-Time Design Patterns for Educator-Led Instruction
Alajlani, N. & Crabb, M. (Lead / Corresponding author), 21 Nov 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Computing in Higher Education. 22 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile37 Downloads (Pure) -
Empowering Communities of Aphasia through Adaptable Subtitled Media: The Altering Factors, Accessibility Barriers, and Inclusive Design Practices
You, Z. & Crabb, M., 14 Aug 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) Proceedings of The British Aphasiology Society International Conference 2025. Roper, A. & Devane, N. (eds.). London, UK: British Aphasiology Society, p. 14-15 2 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
Open AccessFile57 Downloads (Pure) -
Exploring Mixed Reality Design Considerations for Adaptable User Interfaces to Improve Interaction on Physical Textured Surfaces
Subramanian, S., Bogdany, R., Crabb, M., Peiris, R. L. & Tigwell, G. W. (Lead / Corresponding author), 31 May 2025, Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality - 17th International Conference, VAMR 2025, Held as Part of the 27th HCI International Conference, HCII 2025, Proceedings: 17th International Conference, VAMR 2025, Held as Part of the 27th HCI International Conference, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part III. Chen, J. Y. C. & Fragomeni, G. (eds.). 1 ed. Cham: Springer , p. 356-376 21 p. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; vol. 15790).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
Meet Our Researchers
Ferguson, C. (Lead / Corresponding author), Oza, S., Towler, M. (Editor), McKim, S. (Contributing member), Ly, T. (Contributing member), Holme, R. (Contributing member), Muqit, M. (Contributing member), O'Neill, M. (Contributing member), McGoldrick, N. (Contributing member), Keitel, C. (Contributing member), Kennedy, A. (Contributing member), Doney, A. (Contributing member), Lockhart, A. (Contributing member), Dawson, S. (Contributing member), Menard, H. (Contributing member), Schweikert, G. (Contributing member), Hartmann, J. (Contributing member), Marryat, L. (Contributing member), Pakleppa, M. (Contributing member) & Crabb, M. (Contributing member) & 6 others, , 15 May 2025, 18 p. Dundee : University of Dundee.Research output: Other contribution
Open AccessFile52 Downloads (Pure) -
Subtitled Media Adaptations for People with Aphasia: Ongoing Accessibility Barriers and Emerging Design Practices
You, A. & Crabb, M. (Supervisor), 26 Jun 2025, Access InContext Workshop at CHI 2025 on 26th of April. arXiv, p. 1-3 3 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
Open AccessFile30 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
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Honorable Mention Award - Developing Accessible Services: Understanding Current Knowledge and Areas for Future Support
Crabb, M. (Recipient), 2019
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Staff Member of the Year, SSEN Learning and Teaching Awards.
Crabb, M. (Recipient), Jun 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Best Advisor or Personal Tutor, DUSA Student Led Teaching Awards.
Crabb, M. (Recipient), Jun 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Best Assessment and Feedback, SSEN Learning and Teaching Awards.
Crabb, M. (Recipient), Jun 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Innovation in Teaching Award, SSEN Learning and Teaching Awards.
Crabb, M. (Recipient), Jun 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (ACM CHI '22) (Event)
Crabb, M. (Editorial board member)
Oct 2022Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial activity
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2022 ACM International Conference on Interactive Media Experiences (ACM IMX '22)
Crabb, M. (Participant)
Jun 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Ingenious: Engineering the Curriculum. Public Engagement & Outreach Training Day
Vilnay, M. (Organiser), Crabb, M. (Organiser), Jozwik, M. (Organiser), Holme, R. (Organiser), Dyer, T. (Participant), Cochard, C. (Participant), Eaves, T. (Participant), Shamvedi, D. (Participant), Murray, I. (Participant), Lewis, O. (Participant), Brennan, A. (Participant), Moir, C. (Participant) & Chernin, L. (Organiser)
21 Sept 2022Activity: Other activity types › Schools engagement
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EMBEDD Engaging Minoritised Beneficiaries in Engineering Diversity Development
Vilnay, M. (Organiser), Fraser, J. (Organiser), Chernin, L. (Member), Crabb, M. (Member), Lewis, O. (Member), Ward, K. (Member), Shamvedi, D. (Member), Pakleppa, M. (Member), Folayan, O. (Organiser) & Czarnecka, K. (Member)
1 May 2022 → 1 Sept 2024Activity: Other activity types › Funding - grants and income which support research related activities
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2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (ACM CHI '22) (Event)
Crabb, M. (Editorial board member)
May 2022Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial activity
Press/Media
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Software project could help construction go green
Newlands, M., Crabb, M., McGurk, M. & Butchart, D.
1/11/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research