• Name: Matthew John Brockway
• Age: 28
• Occupation: Applications Specialist, IT
• Location: Cardiff, UK

About Me
I grew up in Stourbridge, in the West Midlands. I went to ST Josephs primary School and then later to Hagley RC High School and Sixth Form. From there I moved on to study for my degree in Physics with Astronomy at the University of Wales, Cardiff (now Cardiff University). After finishing my degree I spent a year wondering what to do next before moving back to Cardiff to study for my masters degree in Science Communication with the University of Glamorgan and the Techniquest Science Centre.

But it's strange how things work out. Due to finishing my masters degree towards the end of 2001 all of the new science centres that had been built with millenium funding were already fully staffed, so the only roles that I was being offered were quite low down and I could have got them without even having a degree. Also I now had large debts from paying for my masters degree and the basic pay that I was been offered wouldn't have been enough to get by on. So I decided to stay in Cardiff with my girlfriend, working just part time at Techniquest and then looking to get another better paying job. I'd heard that Cardiff University paid it's library staff quite well (Sally worked for them) so I decided to try and get a part time job with them. I ended up working for them as the Graduate Centre IT officer and then 8 months later I got my current role as an Applications Specialist. At that point I couldn't carry on working 6 days a week so I stopped working for Techniquest altogether.

I do miss the presenting that I used to do but I enjoy my current role. I spend most of my time configuring desktop software for distribution over the University's Novell network using ZENWorks for Desktops, I also act as 2nd level support for some of the applications such as Microsoft Excel.

Interests
Running, Computers, Computer Games, Science Fiction, Science Communication, Astronomy and watching sport: Biathlon, running, cycling, rugby (well I am in Wales) ...

Favourite Music
Foo Fighters

Favourite Books
Anything by Raymond E. Feist and Terry Prachett