Stephen is a Professor at Bournemouth University, and at Universidad Camilo José Cela, Madrid. He draws on a unique €250m portfolio of large scale, effective research projects, over 30 years. His eclectic research focus ranges from the design of schools and school fitments, through the implementation of ICT in learning, to addressing the new pedagogic needs of everyone from elite Olympic coaches to pre-school children.

He is described as "the most influential academic of recent years in the field of technology and education" by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) UK and Europe’s leading online education expert by Microsoft.

Along with just 51 others including Damien Hirst, Jarvis Cocker, Harrison Ford, Lauren Bacall, Muhammad Ali, Stephen became an Apple Master in the 1990s and was awarded the Royal Television Society’s Judges’ Award for lifetime contribution to educational broadcasting. Stephen is a member of BAFTA’s Board of Trustees and Council having formerly chaired its Technical Innovation Jury.