Profile

Prior to taking up current position I was Associate Dean (Research) at the postgraduate Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Canada; I also served as Associate Dean (Academic) and Director of the Industrial Design Program.

Research Interests

Product Design for Sustainability - explored from a variety of perspectives but emphasizing, in combination with critical reflection and writing, the creative activity of 'designing' as a legitimate research element. Explorations in theory and practice that examine the inter-related issues of social equity, ethics and the spiritual, aesthetics, localization and the environment. The relationship between localization and globalization, and design for sustainability. Design-centred Research (discursive design, design of conceptual objects, designing as research. Research, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, has investigated scales of product production, design and sustainability by examining craft practices, batch practices and mass-production; responsible consumption and product design; and evolving technologies, product design and sustainability. Numerous papers have been published in journals including Design Issues, The Journal of Sustainable Product Design, The International Journal of Sustainable Design, Innovation and The Design Journal. Exploratory design work has been exhibited at the Design Museum, London; The Triangle Gallery, Calgary and The Works, Edmonto; and Roma Design +, Rome. Sustainable by Design: Explorations in Theory and Practice is published by Earthscan, London.

PhD Supervision Interests

Design for Sustainability; Meaning, Aesthetics and Design; Design-based Research; Design and the Spiritual Dimension