Dr Tor Alexander Bruce

School: Healthcare and Nursing Sciences

An interdisciplinary researcher who joined academia from the Third Sector as a registered charity founder and Chief Officer. This previous role involved the visionary transformation of a 10,000 sq. ft. derelict factory premises in a deprived local authority area, becoming a thriving alternative education platform supporting regional employment, equity agendas and engaging young people with a background of neglect and marginalisation. A core research interest stems from identifying trauma as a causal factor to a range of presentations of mental ill-health. This led to raising industrial sponsorship and defending a “beautifully articulated” thesis exploring the efficacy of immersive technology with participants whose experiences had severely impacted their lives. Transitioning to the faculty of Health and Life Sciences in 2022, funded by NHS England, recent research sits between the fields of HCI and the cognitive sciences, designing and evaluating the use of digital tools for academics facing learning barriers and organisational workforce in need of dynamic, intelligent systems to support wellbeing. A range of published comment and opinion pieces as well as current full journal papers are available between 2023-24, with consistent national and international presentation at conferences and invited seminar talks. NHS England contract ends March 2024.

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Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

An interdisciplinary researcher with former Third Sector leadership and management experience and consistent ability in raising self-sourced funding, developing concepts from prototype to real world application. Working since 2019 alongside professorial experts in the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) in a context of health sciences, a core interest is towards the interactivity between people and technologies within intelligent environments. This has resulted in a portfolio of XR design innovations, through full-scale systems and involving 3D printed and wearable technologies, engaging with content developers (Adobe XD; Unity; Intuiface) and designers (Fusion 360; Shap3r; Procreate). These studies have generated new ideas and knowledge, received a 3* Research Excellence Framework (REF) recommendation and described by NHS and NIHR as having groundbreaking potential. Experienced in strategic management, adaptability, critical-thinking and multidisciplinary partnership building, between public, private or not-profit sector. National and international presentation of research findings and regularly published dissemination. A hard-working individual with a genuine focus toward developing the potential of others both at a collegial and community-levels with a diverse range of public and expert-by-experience involvement in studies.

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Classifying the Features of Digital Mental Health Interventions to Inform the Development of a Patient Decision Aid, Bradley, G., Rehackova, L., Devereaux, K., Bruce, T., Nunn, V., Gilfellon, L., Burrows, S., Cameron, A., Watson, R., Rumney, K., Flynn, D. 26 Mar 2025, In: PLOS Digital Health
The WISE Room: An innovative multisensory space for self-regulation and immersive support for neurodivergent students, Bruce, T., Champney-Smith, E., Eleftheropolou, S., Nicholson, T., Lambert, M., Hill, B. 10 Sep 2025, In: British Journal of Special Education
Exploring The Cognition Room, Bruce, T., Greaves, P. 25 Jan 2024, In: British Journal of Nursing
Innovations in nurse education: creating the multisensory learning approach of The WISE Room: creating the multisensory learning approach of The WISE Room, Bruce, T., Flynn, D., Simpson, D., Peat, A., Hill, B. Aug 2024, In: British Journal of Nursing
RePAIRing the student nurse journey: empowering interrupted students through innovative support strategies, Hill, B., Bruce, T., Simpson, D., Flynn, D., Ban, S., Porteous, D. Oct 2024, In: British Journal of Nursing
Digital Environment to Support Student Wellbeing Secures NHS Funding, Bruce, T. 20 Jul 2023
Digital immersive environments can improve student retention, Bruce, T. 6 Jul 2023, In: British Journal of Nursing
Plunge students into experiential learning with immersive rooms, Bruce, D. 31 Oct 2023
The Intuitive Jacket: Creating A Wearable Interface Acknowledging the Role of the Body in Trauma Mental Health, Bruce, T., Lightley, L., Wright, C., Rebair, A., Holmquist, L. 14 Mar 2023, AHs '23: Proceedings of the Augmented Humans International Conference 2023, New York, NY, USA, ACM

Professional Activity

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Invited talk: Intelligent Systems: From Rapid Prototype To Real World Application 2023
Invited talk: Intelligent Systems: From Rapid Prototype To Real World Application 2023