THOMAS
NEWBOLD

By day, I'm creating build tools and modernising interfaces at IBM. By night, I'm making (and playing) games - both digital and tabletop - or exploring generative art and randomness, like fractals and dynamical systems.

LinkedIn ↗ itch.io ↗ GitHub ↗ Get in touch
Status Luckily Employed
Current role Software Developer @ IBM Hursley
Education MSci Computer Science & Mathematics
@ University of Exeter · 1st class
Location Winchester, UK
The Low Down
Day job
Software Developer at IBM, working in a small, focused team to streamline tooling and web interfaces for release engineering at Hursley. Working agile with AI, owning work from design to delivery, and prioritizing security.
Docker Node.js React Java Git DevSecOps
Side projects
Making generative art with p5.js and Python, building indie games in Unity and Godot, and occasionally designing tabletop games when the creativity needs to get physical.
Interested in
Keeping a close eye on AI and quantum computing, and genuinely motivated by tech that makes a positive difference in the world.
Artificial Intelligence Quantum Computing Tech for Good Sustainable Energy Motorsport
The Big Question
Can you replace me with a sufficiently large AI model?

I would hope not. I think the "AI stealing jobs" line is missing the point — yes, it is perhaps "compressing" jobs, raising efficiency expectations, etc. But, until there is enough trust to give an LLM its own laptop with unsupervised peripheral control, we will always need a human in the loop somewhere.

Maybe this is an outdated opinion though and I've missed a grand breakthrough, but let's be real here — it's text prediction, and I wouldn't call that "intelligence", at least not one I would trust outright.

Projects
Python Qiskit Quantum 2024
Evolving Qubit Circuits
Genetic algorithm for generating quantum logic gate circuits in Qiskit. Published, and awarded Best Student Paper @ GECCO2024.
Read on ACM Digital Library → View project on GitHub →
Python Spotify API 2023
Spotify "Now Playing"
A live album art display powered by the Spotify Web API. Designed for desktop, later ported to a Rasberry Pi Zero with with a 3.5" LCD display.
View on GitHub →
Spotify API project screenshot
CTF Hackathon Team 2025
HackSouthWest 2025 CTF
Finished first place in the CTF track for the Exeter Computing Society's 2025 Hackathon.
View on LinkedIn →
Python Urban Data Science 2025
UK Amenity Choice
Fourth year research project exploring amenity distributions in major UK urban areas.
View project on GitHub →
JavaScript p5.js
Generative Art
Mildly interesting visual experiences, and explorations of the beauty in both ordered and random systems.
Python Django Team 2023
BeGreen
Full-stack mobile webapp for encoraging sustainability. Group software development project built collaboratively at Exeter University.
View on GitHub →
Flask Websockets Hackathon Team 2023
HackSouthWest 2023
FishFolio - a web game built during HSW, run by the Exeter Computing Society. Recieved an honourable mention (i.e. 3rd place).
View Submission → View project on GitHub →
C# / Unity GDScript / Godot Python Game Dev Solo
Games — brownseededbread on itch.io
Building games in Unity/Godot — platformers, puzzles, and text adventures for game jams. Also where I publish short TTRPGs I've written - I have a couple more in the works right now, so watch this space.
Browse games on itch.io →
Bonus Content
Films
tomnewbold on Letterboxd ↗

My recent watches:

Fetching recent watches…
View my full diary →
Music
tomnewbold on Spotify ↗

Here's the vibe at the moment:

Also built a Spotify Now Playing display via the Web API.

Photography
lensbytheroad on Instagram ↗

I dabble in photography too...

Contact

Let's work
together.

Open to conversations about new opportunities, collaborations, or interesting problems worth solving. Particularly interested in tech that makes a genuine difference.

Tech for Good Artificial Intelligence Quantum Computing Sustainable Energy Motorsport
LinkedIn ↗