Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Julio Carlos de Souza van der Linden
I have a degree in Product Design from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE, Recife). After working in different sectors, I received my Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Industrial Engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS, Porto Alegre). For over 20 years, I have been a professor at some universities in the State of Rio Grande do Sul teaching design courses. Since 2009, I am a full-time professor at UFRGS. At undergraduate Visual Design and Product Design programs, I teach Design Methodology, Collaborative Design and Innovation, and Applied Ergonomics. In the graduate program, I develop research and supervise master and doctoral students in the areas of Design Education and Design-led Innovation. Both at the undergraduate and graduate levels, one of my goals is to minimize the gap between design education and industry.
Eduardo Costa
I hold an undergraduate degree in Product Design from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and have pursued courses in various fields, including ancient languages and literature. For example, I attended the Vivarium Novum Academy in Italy on a scholarship, where I studied Latin writers. During and after my graduation, I have worked at a liberal arts institution (Instituto Hugo de São Vítor), teaching Latin and Ancient Greek, and developing educational projects and products for learners interested in ancient languages and classical disciplines. The main initiative of this institute is an online school called Schola Classica. Additionally, I lead an after-school project where I teach science and design topics. Currently, I am involved in a master’s project in the postgraduate program at UFRGS, where I am developing a design literacy program for professionals seeking to enhance design skills, that are important even in professional training, and improve their methodologies across various fields. This reflects my interest in addressing educational challenges that intersect philosophy, literacy, science, and real-world problem solving.
Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa | Napoli | Italy
Francesca Nicolais
Ph.D in Communication Sciences, Francesca is a fellow at “ScienzaNuova Research Center” at the University of Suor Orsola Benincasa in Napoli, where she developes a research project on packaging and communication and on the powerful relation between Humanities and Technologies. She is a project coordinator and cross media expert for Pej’s kitchen, a multimedia production company and is co-founder of Riot studio (www.riotstudio.it), a venue devoted to creativity, research and innovation that highlights artists and movements that drive languages that are elusive in pre-established categories embracing multiple areas of knowledge. She loves to be: co-organizer of the TEDxNapoli since 2012, content curator of the format Who is the designer, co-inventor of a European patent on the preparation of fluorescent nanoparticles that can be used to create anti-counterfeiting markups for high value added goods. “Cross fertilization and knowledge integration are the keywords that drive my research projects”
Alfredo Apicella
alfredo.apicella@docenti.unisob.na.it
Graduated in Computer Engineering, Alfredo works in “Scienza Nuova Research Center” at University of Suor Orsola Benincasa in Naples, developing projects to support Humanities by means of coding and technology and exploring the many possibilities of AR/VR technologies, developing Virtual Museums, prototyping applications and studying the design of interaction between man and devices.
Middle East Technical University | Ankara | Turkey
Mert Kulaksiz
Selam! I am a design researcher and educator with a background in industrial design. I am interested in how academic concepts translate into design practice, particularly in a global context where culture and individuality often play an overlooked role in the design process within broader project contexts. Empathy-oriented approaches that genuinely inform the early stages of design are central to my work. In my PhD, I introduced the concept of informed empathy in design practice as a framework for understanding designer empathy, while my master’s thesis developed a tool to support novice designers in conducting user observations. Additionally, I’ve been part of research units involved in academic and industry collaborations, working on projects ranging from voice-user interfaces for emerging markets to exploring the future of bathroom design for the aging population. I share my home with my dog, Auspex, and a budgie named Kuşkuş, who unexpectedly became part of my life after flying in through my balcony.
Shandong University of Art & Design | Shandong | China
Zhiwei Fu
fuzhiweidesign@gmail.com
I am an Associate Professor of the School of Shipbuilding Industrial Design at Shandong University of Arts & Design, and a council member of the Automotive Industry Branch of the China Industrial Design Association.
I engage in teaching and design practice in the fields of new energy transportation design and shipbuilding industrial design. My key research areas include: future intelligent mobility design based on user-scenario applications, and design of surface yachts and special vessels based on multi-body structures.
Jingying Zhen
Jingying Zhen, Digital Artist from China, teach in Shandong University of Art and Design.
My art explores life forms and the unknown, blending Asian cultural roots with a multicultural perspective. Through vivid colors and intricate details, I capture and convey emotions, resulting in a distinctive visual expression. My work has been showcased internationally, earning awards in creative packaging design and recognition as an emerging artist across continents.
I have led and contributed to numerous projects on digital creativity, cultural heritage, and innovative design, focusing on the integration of tradition and modernity. My research and publications cover topics like metaverse applications, cross-cultural communication, and the digital preservation of traditional crafts, with presentations at international academic forums.
Xiaoying Liu
suimaner66@gmail.com
I have a degree in Management from the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow and currently working at Shandong University of Art & Design. My research is dedicated to organizational culture and human resources within organizations. In recent years, I have been involved in research projects for the construction of two national cultural parks of the Grand Canal and the Yellow River, and the findings from these studies have been extensively applied in significant national planning in China.
Fengying Zeng
zfyvip@126.com
I graduated from Shandong University in China, majoring in English language and literature. I work in Shandong University of Art & Design, located in Jinan, Shandong Province, China. As an Associate Professor, I primarily teach College English and Graduate English courses. My main research areas include foreign language education and applied linguistics, where I focus on enhancing language teaching methodologies and cross-cultural communication.
University of Navarra
Alex Roquero Mendiola
I am from San Sebastian, located in the north shore of Spain. Love doing sports and being active.
Graduated on Design Engineering and Product Development at Tecnun, and followed with a Master Programme on Integrated Product Design at Brunel University London. Also did a Postgraduate on Injection Moulding and Thermoplastics in Barcelona. I have worked at Bosch Rexroth, Rype Office, design consultancies Mormedi and Dhemen, and now I´m working as an R&D Engineer at Salto.
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia
Aleksandr Gusakov
I am an Associate Professor of the Department of Management, Faculty of Economics, RUDN University (Peoples Friendship University of Russia), Moscow, Russia. I have degree of Candidate of Economic Sciences (PhD). Conducting classes in various disciplines related to management, I am looking for such formats of classes that form students’ own practical skills – working with ERP systems, with programs for simulation, business games. Since the skills of creative thinking are very important now in various fields of activity, I actively uses Design Thinking both for student projects and for vocational training. I organized several international projects, including the project to develop the innovative potential of UiT (Norway) and NArFU (Russia) using the DT approach. I have spent more than 20 years implementing IT in various organizations, and I have also been a Manager in the field of Economics in the municipality and industry.
Tatiana Semichevskaya
I’m a senior lecturer at Architecture department of Engineering Academy of People’s Friendship University of Russia, Moscow. Working on my PhD in Architecture exploring the connections and influence of major historical events on the development of Russian Revival architecture of late XIX -early XX cc. I’ve got a background in biotechnology (Master) and I’m a muralist, mixed media and watercolor artist. I also worked with mosaics, handprinting and lampwork. My paintings were exhibited in galleries in Moscow and United States, where I used to be a member of professional art associations.
Erik Bohemia
As a researcher and an educator in the field of design I am interested in the skills and competencies of designers and the match between these and industry requirements. My current research explores changes associated with Globalisation and the impact of these changes on Design. This research has been used to develop the Global Studio https://theglobalstudio.eu/2024/ The aims of the Global Studio are linked with current and future industry needs associated with contemporary changes in the development of products and including the shift to the use of distributed teams in the product development process. During the past five years, I successfully led to completion eight international collaborative research projects involving high profile overseas university and multinational industry partners in collaborative research, teaching and learning activities. Participating institutions based in the USA, Canada, France, Taiwan, Japan, Netherlands, Australia and Korea.