Gillian Russell

Teaching & research interests

• Critical Design
• Speculative Design
• Imaginative Research Methods
• Co-Creative Research
• Value Sensitive Design Futures
• Narrative Environments

Working at the intersection of design, anthropological futures, and narrative environments, Dr. Gillian Russell’s research investigates how design can be used as a method for actively engaging publics in unveiling present realities and future possibilities. Drawing on tactics of speculative intervention and value-sensitive design her practice explores the potential for the imaginary as a design tool for social change. Her work has been featured at the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Lisbon, in the Porto Design Biennale, Helsinki Design Museum, Design Museum London, London Design Festival, Milan Furniture Fair and the Victoria & Albert Museum. She holds a PhD in Design History (2017) from the Royal College of Art, London, and was a SSHRC post-doctoral fellow at the Digital Democracies Institute, SFU. Gillian is co-director of the Imaginative Methods Lab, an international working group developing practices and tools to re-imagine design research. 

• PhD in Design History (2017) from the Royal College of Art, London
• SSHRC post-doctoral fellow at the Digital Democracies Institute, SFU