Polyphonic Futures — Knowledge Exchange in Bio-Digital Space
This practice-led design research explores imaginaries of the bio-digital — the space where computational thought interfaces with biological matter. The thesis looks specifically at configurations and entanglements of bio-digital objects, interactions and their enabling biomaterials.
The outcome of this research suggests 'collective futuring' through the development of bio-digital imaginaries and offers transferable methods that foster democratic knowledge exchanges between design, science, and society. This research proposes a shifted role for designers as mediators and actants that support informed decision-making across converging disciplines towards more sustainable and ethical futures.
Key details
School, Centre or Area
Area of expertise
Supervisors
Funding
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Doctoral award, Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
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More about Veronica
Biography
Veronica Ranner is an artist, designer and researcher, working transdisciplinary on the intersections of design, science and emerging technologies.
Her current research and practice focuses on the burgeoning domain of bio-digitality and encompasses advanced biomaterials (smart materials), biomedical product and interface design, and the development of experimental methods towards constructive-collective modes of futuring.
Veronica has 10+ years experience of working internationally across science, education, art institutions, and industry via funded projects, commissions, and collaborations and is a frequently invited lecturer. Her work has been awarded and exhibited internationally, including at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, China Technology Museum in Beijing, the National Museum Sweden in Stockholm, the V&A London, and the Futurium in Berlin.
Degrees
MA Design Interactions, Royal College of Art, London, 2011
Diplom Industrial Designerin (FH), Pforzheim University, Germany, 2008
Experience
ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT
Visiting Lecturer, MA Design Products, Royal College of Art, Apr 2020
Visiting Lecturer, MRes Design, Innovation Design Engineering, Royal College of Art, Feb 2018
Visiting Lecturer, MA Fashion Womenswear, Menswear, Royal College of Art, Jan- Apr 2017
Associate Lecturer, BA Illustration, 3d design & graphic design, Camberwell University of the Arts, Oct-Dec 2016
Visiting Lecturer, MA Textile Design, Royal College of Art, Apr- Jul 2016
Visiting Lecturer, MDes Design Innovation and Service Design, Institute for Design Innovation, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, Sep-Dec 2015
Visiting Scientist, Department for Biomedical Engineering, SilkLab, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA, Sep 2014-Jul 2015
Visiting Lecturer, MA Interaction Design, Zurich University of the Arts (ZhDK), Switzerland, Sep 2015
Visiting Lecturer, MA Interaction Design, Zurich University of the Arts (ZhDK), Switzerland, Feb 2015
Design Advisor, Department of Plant Sciences, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK, Jul-Oct 2011
RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Freelance Designer, Researcher and Lecturer, provision of international lectures, seminars and workshops in design and science universities, museums, art institutions and industry, Apr 2014- present
Freelance Designer, Industrial and Interaction Design, development, design and realisation of the brand, identity design, and web presence for various German companies in the medical sector, Sep 2011- Sep 2012
Freelance Industrial and Interaction Designer on the BMBF-funded project MµGUARD, Primedic GmbH (Rottweil, Germany) and University of Karlsruhe, collaboration with Metrax GmbH, Elovis GmbH, Vitaphone GmbH, FZI Karlsruhe, and the University Clinical Centre in Tubingen, Germany, Apr 2008- Sep 2009
Design Internship with Frog Design Inc., Stuttgart, Germany, Oct 2006- Mar 2007
Awards
Material supply grant for SilkLab, Arts and Science program, Tufts University, MA, USA, 2014–15
Travel grant, Arts and Humanities Research Council, London, 2014
Honoree, Core77 Design Awards, Category Speculative Design, New York, USA, 2013
Full AHRC Doctoral Award, Arts and Humanities Research Council, London, UK, 2012- 2016
Winner, 1st Alfred-Kärcher-Award, Alfred Kärcher GmbH, Winnenden, Germany, 2011
Nominee, Future of Ourselves Award, Helen Hamlyn Design Centre, London, London, 2011
Royal College of Art Bursary, Royal College of Art, London, 2010
Shortlisted/ Runner-up, BIO: Fiction, Science & Art Film Festival, Natural History Museum, Vienna, Austria, 2010
Two annual stipends for artistic development, Alfred Kärcher GmbH, Winnenden, Germany, 2009/10 and 2010/11
Full stipend for artistic development, Claus und Brigitte Meyer Stiftung, Germany, 2009
Royal College of Art Bursary, Royal College of Art, London, 2009
Grant for artistic development, Vereinigte Stiftungen Pforzheim, Germany, 2009
Scholarship award for pioneer–minded work, Heinrich- Blanc- Foundation, Germany, 2008
Scholarship award for outstanding degree work, Pforzheim University, Germany, 2008
Exhibitions
(2019 – present) In the permanent display, FUTURIUM, German Federal Government, Berlin
(2012 – 2018) Nano Supermarket, Next Nature Network, Amsterdam
(2019) Creatures Made to Measure – Animals and Contemporary Design, Design Museum Gent
(2018- 2019) Museum Marta Herford, Germany
(2016) Digital Design Weekend, Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), London
(2015) Domestic Futures (Hemma i Framtiden; "At home in the future"), Kulturhuset Stadsteatern, National Museum of Sweden, Stockholm
(2015) Crafting Anatomies, Bonington Gallery, Nottingham, UK
(2015) Work in Progress Show RCA, Henry Moore Gallery, Royal College of Art, London
(2013 – 2014) Time & Motion — Redefining Working Life, FACT, Liverpool, UK
(2013) (In)visible Design | Towards a Design Fiction, Milan Design Week, Fuorisalone
(2013) Demain c’est aujourd’hui”, “L’empathie ou L’experience de L’autre (‘Empathy or the Experience of Others’), Design Biennale Internationale 2013, Cité du Design, Saint Etienne, France
(2012) 3rd International Art and Science Exhibition and Symposium “Information, Ecology, and Wisdom” TASIES 2012, China Science & Technology Museum, Beijing
(2012) Krakow Theatrical Reminiscences, Museum of Urban Engineering, Krakow
(2012) MAGICAL MATERIALS — Unleash your Superpowers, Science Gallery Dublin
(2011– 2012) CURIOUS MINDS — New Approaches in Design, Israel Museum, Jerusalem
(2011) Cambridge Science Festival, Cambridge Guildhall, Cambridge, UK
(2011) Final Show RCA, Upper Gulbenkian Gallery, Royal College of Art, London
(2010) BIO: FICTION Synthetic Biology Science and Art Film Festival, Ernst Haeckel Saal, Natural History Museum, Vienna
(2010) Work in Progress Show RCA, Henry Moore Gallery, Royal College of Art, London
Publications
Lockton, D., Ranner, V. (2017), Plans and speculated actions: Design, behaviour and complexity in sustainable futures. In: Chapman, J. ed, The Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Product Design, London: Routledge, pp. 487-501.
Ranner, V. (2014) Silken Selves, The Human After Anthropocentrism? ‘Life. Matter. Being.’, London Conference of Critical Thought, Goldsmiths, London.
Ranner, V., Winkler, C. (2014), ‘Living Assemblies. In Maragiannis, A., ed, Communication Futures, Proceedings of Digital Research in the Humanities and Arts Conference (DRHA 2014). London: Greenwich University, pp. 274–276.
Ranner, V. (2013). UISilk — Towards Interfacing the Body. In: Smart Material Interfaces: Another Step to a Material Future, proceedings of the 15th ACM International Conference on Multimodal Interaction. ACM: New York, USA, p. 13–18.
Ranner, V. (2012). From Hardware to Wetware: How Sericulture Could Shift our Manufacturing Attitude in an Age of Biotechnology. In: Proceedings of the Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS 2012), Newcastle, UK.
Ranner, V. (2011). Dissecting Ideologies in Design, Master thesis (distinction), Royal College of Art Library, London.