Royal College of Art appoints new head of Design Products
News: London's Royal College of Art has appointed Dr Sharon Baurley to replace designer Tord Boontje as head of its Design Products programme.
Set to begin teaching in January, Baurley previously conducted her PhD at the Royal College of Art and has also undertaken post-doctoral research at Musashino Art University in Tokyo and John Moores University in Liverpool. Her most recent position was as head of design at the School of Engineering & Design, Brunel University, and she is also currently working on the Horizon research hub at The University of Nottingham.
"Design Products has a long history of innovation and a peerless reputation and I'm thrilled to be rejoining the college," said Baurley. "At the dynamic juncture between craft, design thinking, and new technological capabilities and structures there is an exciting opportunity to create new design methods and routes both within Design Products and beyond."
She continued: "I particularly look forward to working with my colleagues from across the school exploring and developing synergies between the programmes and especially to maximise the research and knowledge exchange opportunities for which Design Products is so well placed."
Baurley will succeed Tord Boontje, who held the role for four years but left in September to focus on his own design studio. See projects from the course's most recent graduates in our earlier coverage.