I would like to thank those members of the PhD-Design Forum that have responded to the call for contributions to a book on the use of researcher practice in the design-based PhD. Discussions with a publisher are on-going but their schedule now means that it will be possible to receive additional papers. 

17 submissions were received in response to the 25 June deadline but I would like to take this unexpected opportunity to give any members of the Forum that were unaware of the original call (posted 30 May 2010) a second opportunity to contribute. I am particularly keen to receive papers from PhD’s in interior design and architecture as these disciplines have not been represented. 

If any members have used their own creative design practice as a means of data collection during their PhD (which has already been awarded) and would like to submit a paper, please forward this to me by 12 August using the format as per the original call (below). 

If any members of the Forum are aware of PhD’s that demonstrate good/best practice, I would very much appreciate it if brief details and an email address of the candidate could be forwarded to me.

Many thanks.

Mark

Dr Mark Evans
Loughborough Design School

..............................................................................................................................................................................................
Original call, 25 June 2010

Call for papers: The use of researcher practice in the design-based PhD

Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University, UK

Further to recent discussions on this forum and a review of published material, there is a need for a resource that presents documented examples of completed PhD’s that include visually creative researcher practice in the design-based PhD. An opportunity exists for the design research community to generate a resource (with lots of images) that will be of benefit to new researchers, supervisors, and demonstrate the value of design-based researcher practice to the wider academy.

The focus of this call is for PhD case studies that demonstrate researcher practice in the form-giving disciplines that have a presence in design schools, professions and publications; such as (but not limited to) fashion, silversmith and jewellery, textiles, ceramics, furniture, interior, graphic, industrial/product, and architecture . The highly visual nature of researcher practice in these disciplines means that, in addition to descriptions of the research methodology, the publication will contain colour images of the design process and/or outcomes. 

As the extent to which PhD researchers have recently engaged in design practice as a method of data collection is unknown, it is hoped that the 1700 members of this forum and their wider network will be able to support the creation of a resource that contains case study examples of best practice. The viability of creating this will ultimately depend on the number and quality of contributions received and the degree of uncertainty in the project means that book/journal publishers have not yet been contacted. This will be undertaken when contributions have been received and the review process, managed by the Design Practice Research Group at Loughborough Design School, is complete. However, in the unlikely event of publishers not wishing to collaborate in this venture, the publication of the resource as either a book or web-based resource will be underwritten by the Design Practice Research Group of Loughborough Design School (subject to contributions being of sufficient quality).

As the call requires the submission of PhD’s that have already been completed, the first deadline is relatively tight which supports the aim of publishing the material as soon as possible. 

If you would like to submit a summary of a completed PhD, please use the pro-forma below and email it as a pdf to [log in to unmask]


.............................................................................................................................................................................................

Title of thesis:

Academic supervisor(s):

Name PhD researcher:

University/college:

Year PhD awarded:

Summary of researcher’s design qualifications/professional experience prior to PhD (one paragraph):

Abstract:

Diagram of research methodology for PhD (only if readily available):

Please include four to six images that capture the essence of the design process and/or design outcome(s) with brief descriptors for each:

Image 1: 
Image 2:
Image 3:
Image 4:
Image 5:
Image 6:

Outline submitted by: 

Email address:

..............................................................................................................................................................................................