School of Communications & Creative Industries

Dr. Paul DJ Moody’s qualifications include: PhD (Royal College of Art, 2023) Acts of Resistance by documentary practice in Visual Communication; Diploma in Professional Film and Video Production (North East Media Training Centre, 1989) and Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies (University of London, Goldsmiths’). In 1989 he entered international film, television and media industry as freelancer and independent filmmaker, working on award-winning international feature films, TV dramas, documentaries, shorts, arts, commercial and promotional projects. Between 1996-99 he furthered significant international careers when successfully managing the Northern Production Fund. Since 2004 he has worked in Higher Education (Goldsmiths’, NFTS, NTU/ADM, RCA) while continuing filmmaking – currently directing a documentary in London and Cape Town about famed South African Jazz band the ‘The Blue Notes’.

Before joining BUV, Dr. Pham Hai Chung was a researcher at Harvard Kennedy School in the U.S. She earned her Ph.D. in Media and Communication from Bournemouth University, England, and holds an M.A. in International Journalism from Hong Kong Baptist University. Chung’s Ph.D research focuses on the evolving narratives of Vietnam, examining its war-torn past and the dynamic brand and media consumption of the post-1975 generation.

With over 16 years of experience in academia and industry, she has taught at undergraduate and postgraduate level for international programs offered by the Victoria University of Wellington and Nantes University.

Dr. Chung has contributed to publications like the Financial Times, VnExpress and various peer-reviewed journals in Europe.

Born in Perth, Western Australia, composer and sound designer Ross Adrian Williams has written music and designed sound across a range of styles for theatre, film, animation, dance, museum installation, 360° video and VR. His work for award winning abstract, documentary, animated and narrative films have been shown in festivals, and installations around the world including the Venice Biennale and Busan International Short Film Festival.
His interdisciplinary research collaborations have led to novel research in diverse areas, combining various scientific disciplines. These include the exploration of volcanic infrasound to improve the detection of volcanic events and gaining deeper insights into the cognitive and perceptual mechanisms underlying the impact of sound on visual memory formation in narrative fiction film.

Moon Nguyen earned her Ph.D. in Communication Studies and her M.A. in International Journalism Studies from Hong Kong Baptist University. Throughout her academic journey, she delivered 12 presentations at top conferences in the field. She received several awards, including the Top Student Paper Award, the Michael Hoefges Research Funding Award, the HKSAR Reaching Out Award, and the Student Excellence Performance Award. Her research interests lie at the intersection of marketing and corporate communication, cybersecurity, fake news, and media/social media analysis. She has published in SSCI journals and with Routledge.

Before pursuing her academic career, Moon Nguyen amassed eight years of diverse professional experience. This included four years as a licensed journalist and copy editor for a science journal in Vietnam and four years as a public relations and marketing executive for a U.S. think tank based in Hong Kong.

Raised and educated in the UK, in 1995, Richard completed a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts from De Montfort University. In 1999, he graduated with a Master of Art in Visual Communication from The Birmingham Institute of Art & Design. After graduation, Richard worked in various freelance design roles across the Midlands and North-East England.

His academic career began in 2003, working firstly for Birmingham Metropolitan College as a Programme Leader (Graphic Design) and moving to Curriculum Director (Visual Art) in 2007.

In 2012, he moved to a trans-national education role with Winchester School of Art (University of Southampton) where he helped establish an international Art & Design campus in Dalian city (China).

In 2018, Richard joined BUV as Programme Leader for the new Contemporary Creative Practices programme.

Sven is a well-rounded creative director & visual artist, with a background in visual communication and 20+ years of industry experience. He was running a design & advertising agency and established a gallery for contemporary photography in the art capital Berlin.
Sven was born in Berlin, studied visual communication design at the HAWK University of applied science in Hildesheim, where he graduated with a German University Diplom in 1994, (equivalent to MA) and earned the distinction of a British Council Scholar in 1997, to study further at the Royal College of Art, London.

Raised and educated in New York, New York City, Scott completed a Bachelor degree in Media Communications (Animation, Cartooning, Illustration) from the School of Visual Arts 1986. Following graduation in 1986, he moved to California for a job in animation field with Filmation that fell through. This encouraged him to explore the new world of graphic design when it transited from traditional to digital in 1989. In 2005, Scott completed a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree (Academy of Arts University) in Illustration (children’s book) . In 2018, Scott completed 2nd Master of Fine Arts in Interactive UI/UX; and wanted to combine both traditional graphic novels and digital technology for the new wave of storytelling via graphic novels using AR and 3D animation.

In addition, Scott is very passionate continues to work on Interactive Graphic Novel and work on other children’s book projects that he has written and been hired to illustrate for other authors in the children’s book industry.

After completing a Master’s Degree in Architecture and various other academic, professional and research experiences in Spain, Poland, France and Japan, in 2015, Alex arrived in Vietnam, where he developed his career both in design consultancy for international offices and higher education.

Among his recent professional milestones worth highlighting is the Cityscape Awards in 2019 for the Mui Dinh South Resort design, in which he was the Project Manager. In higher education, he is appreciated for his devotion to students and organizing engaging activities such as professional collaborations, field trips, events, etc. Alex is currently developing a Doctorate in ethnic minorities in Vietnam. He is an outgoing Spaniard who enjoys nature trips and embraces cultural appreciation.

Born and raised in Kochi, India. Shruthi graduated from TKM Institute in Kerala with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. She earned a Master’s degree in Product Design from the Indian Institute of Information Technology after graduating in 2017, and she was researching Design Interventions in Marine jetty that adhered to Indian design codes at the time. She was also employed concurrently at the Indian Institute as a Teaching assistant for Product design students. She moved to Vietnam after receiving her postgraduate degree in 2019 and started working as a Graphic design lecturer for FPT University.

Additionally, Shruthi contributed to several mobile application projects as well as articles based on her own research. She also serves as a Technical committee member for the International Conference for Modern Educational technology.

Born in Hanoi, Vietnam, raised and educated in sunny Singapore. Duong completed here Bachelor Degree in Multimedia Design at Raffles’ College of Higher Education, Singapore. Following her pursuit of becoming a Graphic Designer, she set out to test her skills working in advertising and marketing agency. Landing her first job at DSTNCT Singapore in 2016, where she had the opportunity to work with brands such as Grab and Shangri-la Hotel & Resort. In 2018, she completed a Master’s in Research in Communication Design and returned to Hanoi, Vietnam to continue her career as a creative. She joins Shopee Vietnam as a Multimedia Designer working on livestream production, and finally in 2022 she landed her biggest role yet with Vayner Media APAC, working with Disney Studios to create social content and experiences for their up-and-coming movies.

Yet her passion in research pulls her back into the stimulating world of academics, where she decided to take a huge leap and join British University Vietnam as a Teaching Practitioner, working to inspire and motivate student towards design and advertising.

Tra Nhu is an illustrator and printmaker creating welcoming and inclusive visual solutions. As an art coordinator and educator, Tra organizes workshops, fairs and community events in Vietnam and the UK. Tra earned a Bachelor of Professional Communication from RMIT University and recently graduated with a MA Illustration from University of the Arts London.

From 2019-2023, Tra was the illustrator and art coordinator for Vietcetera Media, managing a network of designers and illustrators creating visual contents. As a freelance illustrator, Tra has worked with various brands, publishers and NGOs. Aside from her illustration practice, Tra is passionate about organizing events and spaces for the Vietnam creative community, such as workshops, Reading Room and art fairs.