Andy is the founder and Director of RIX Research & Media Centre at the University of East London, where he is Professor of Media Advocacy. His research explores the use of web and digital media for the benefit of people with disabilities; and he lectures, trains and advises internationally on digital solutions to inclusion, citizen advocacy and human rights. Under his leadership, the RIX Centre has pioneered the implementation of person-centred applications of digital tools since 2004 in partnership with disabled people and their families and professionals from education, health and care; using co-production to help to transform the way we support our most vulnerable citizens.
Andy was awarded an MBE for ‘Services to the Education of People with Special Needs’ in the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2012 and won the International Service Award from the USA Association of University Centres on Disability (AUCD) in November 2015.