Miracles, monsters and disturbances

The chapter Miracles, Monsters and Disturbances presents new ways in which educators, scientists and designers can collaborate together to explore the role of creativity in education both within and outside the curriculum

Crossover Workshop: exchanges between design and biochemical sciences

The Crossover Workshop was a collaboration between the Innovation School at The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) and the Biochemical Society to explore the potential for exchanges between design and biochemical sciences. It focused on sharing disciplinary expertise and perspectives through a series of design activities and provocative discussions in order to prompt opportunities for future collaborations

STEM Equals - Co-Designing a science sustainability summer school for young people

This workshop, part of the Crossover programme funded by the Biochemical Society and the RSE Young Academy of Scotland, is a collaboration with Dr Jane Essex (Chemistry Education, University of Strathclyde) to explore an interdisciplinary way of co-designing a Sustainability Science Summer School for young people. Our collaboration supported the co-design of a programme of sustainability education days for young people with disabilities, their families and carers at Dolphin House, Ayr, during the summer school break in 2021

Ways of Seeing Invisible Illness

This workshop, part of the Crossover programme funded by the Biochemical Society and the RSE Young Academy of Scotland, brought together a broad range of academic and disciplinary expertise and interests to explore new ways of seeing and understanding people’s experiences living with and working with invisible illnesses. It partnered with the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Young Academy of Scotland (YAS), recruiting academic members interested in developing patient-centred collaborations in response to the challenges of intangible health conditions. This initial group of YAS members identified challenge contexts they wished to explore based on their areas of research, which were then used to recruit further expertise from medical sciences, primary care and design to develop ideas through design activities

Sustainable Impact by Design

2021 is the year of COP26, (the 26th Conference of the Parties who signed an agreement to work to prevent climate change back in 1994). To mark this, the University of Strathclyde offered funds to staff that would let them talk to people about their research and how it can limit climate change. The STEM Equals Summer Scheme won funding, and so ten Strathclyde staff members were able to work with diverse young people in Ayr and Girvan over five days of STEM1 activities. This book shows some of the activities we did together, and some of the learning about their planet and sustainability that went on. As you will see in its pages, everyone involved, staff and participants alike, had a lot of fun. We also found out many new things about ourselves, our colleagues, about STEM and about our environment

Extra/Ordinary Animals: Human/Nonhuman Relationships in the Age of Genetic Engineering

An essay for the exhibition Creatures to Measure catalogue which explore human/non-human relationships in the context of genetic engineering, and the role of design objects for philosophical enquire

MyBio Dolls

The book "Dot Dot Dash! - Designer Toys, Action Figures and Characters" showcases a survey of vinyl figures, plush dolls, designer toys and action figures. The book illustrates the expansive scope of designs and objects in contemporary character design

Utility Pets

A design exhibition exploring human/non human relationships. The show grouped together design objects which invoked the animal world and its place in society, asking provocative questions about the unbridled production of objects created for humans and animals

Learning from Bananas. How DNA Entered the World of Design

A book aimed at Interaction Design students. The book contains a collection of short exercises designed to inspire anyone who appreciates the interplay between technology, design and making. My chapter illustrates how to extra DNA from a banana using kitchen utensils

MyBio Dolls

The Giro Giro Tondo - Design for Children book explores the story of Italian design through the eyes of children. The book presents design projects spanning from furniture, artwork, illustrations, architecture, urban installations, books, animations, drawings to stationery