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HomeAcademic staffMs Susana Soares
Ms Susana Soares

Ms Susana Soares

soaress@lsbu.ac.uk

Mechanical Engineering and Design

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I am a Senior Lecturer in Design at the School of Engineering. I joined LSBU in 2008 having previously studied Design Interactions at Royal College of Art and worked as a Product Designer for a range of industries such as ceramics, glass and furniture.

I teach several modules across the Design courses, with a particular emphasis on design futures, design interactions, research methods as well as visual communications.

As a designer, educator, and researcher I take a system thinking design approach that contribute to the development of technologic fluency, construct societal awareness and motivate behaviour change towards a restorative future.

My current research interests are related to future food production and consumption systems and exploring how can design help making these systems more sustainable, resilient, and regenerative.

Recent research projects include Future of Carnism, Waste not and Insects au Gratin. Future of carnism is a transdisciplinary investigation into finding ways of reducing and/or shifting to alternatives to meat and dairy. It explores speculative and regenerative design techniques coupled with behavioural change strategies comprised in an exhibition and celebratory event. 1 in every 6 meals are wasted in hospitals, Waste Not project is looking into how 3D food printing technologies can reduce waste in health care environments. Insects au Gratin is exploring how to include sustainable protein such as insects into western diets.

I have recently done a TEDxTalk titled Can design shape a more sustainable future? and my work has been exhibited and displayed at several well renowned institutions such as MoMA, NYC, Science Gallery and Ars Electronica. Projects such as Bee’s, Am I attractive? and Insects au Gratin have been broadcasted by BBC, Sky news and Sicnews.

Courses taught

Product Design - BSc (Hons)

Engineering Product Design - BSc (Hons)

FunderYear wonProjectRole
ENTR General Business Development Opportunities MG2017G017_Pestivo_Design eventPrincipal Investigator

Growing Spaces: developing a sustainability literate graduate.
Andrews, D and Soares, S (2017). Growing Spaces: developing a sustainability literate graduate. Building Community: Design Education for a Sustainable Future: 19th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education. Oslo, Norway 07 - 08 Sep 2017

Insects as food and feed: European perspectives on recent research and future priorities
Payne, C, Doberman, D, Forkes, AD, House, J, Josephs, J, McBride, A, Mueller, A, Quilliam, R and Soares, S (2016). Insects as food and feed: European perspectives on recent research and future priorities. Journal of Insects as Food or Feed. 2 (4), pp. 269-276. https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2016.0011

Talking with experts - from research to objects: using academic research as the basis of collaborative and cross disciplinary projects for design students
Soares, S and Andrews, D (2016). Talking with experts - from research to objects: using academic research as the basis of collaborative and cross disciplinary projects for design students. 18th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education. Aalborg, Denmark 08 - 09 Sep 2016

Design for the New Natural in the Age of Post-Media
Soares, S (2015). Design for the New Natural in the Age of Post-Media. Renewable Futures. Riga, Latvia 08 - 10 Oct 2015 London South Bank University.