Dr Martina Murphy is Senior Academic at the Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment. Associate Head of School for Architecture for 5 years, she has a PhD in design innovation and procurement and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). Her main research interests are in the areas of digital innovation, social value, architectural design and educational pedagogy.

As Associate Head of School she oversaw the implementation of a vertical teaching structure for delivering architectural education akin to professional practice, the SuperStudios, which is the first of its kind to be implemented across all year groups in a School of Architecture.

Dr Murphy has been Course Director for the Business and Leadership MSc; Construction Engineering and Management BSc, and the BA and MArch Architecture courses, during which time she led on revalidations for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) , Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and prescription for the Architects Registration Board (ARB).

As a Chartered Architect (1995-2003) she practiced in the UK, Malta, Hong Kong and Thailand on the design and construction of commercial, public and private sector projects. She was awarded a PhD in 2008 under the supervision of Professor George Heaney and Professor Srinath Perera and began her academic career in 2010 following a period in industry.

Dr Murphy has been Council Member for the Royal Society of Ulster Architects and co-opted Education Chair for the RIBA and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI). She is Committee Member of the Association of Professional Studies Advisors (APSA) and member of The Standing Conference of Schools of Architecture (SCOSA).

She has examined and chaired validation panels in the UK and Europe and has established international academic partnerships in Croatia, China, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, South Africa, Pakistan and Australia.

Dr Murphy has supervised PhD’s locally and internationally and has sat on the Review Boards of Construction Innovation, Emerald Publishing; Construction, Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis; The International Review Board of Archnet-IJAR- International Journal of Architectural Research (MIT Press); Project Management Journal; Journal of Visualization of Engineering, Springer.

She has served as a School Governor for Hunter House College, Belfast, and Management Board Member for the South Ulster Housing Association (SUHA) and appointed Director to the Board of Trustees for HomeStart, UK.