Dr Mariana Fonseca Braga
School of Arts, Media and Creative Technologies
Current positions
University Fellow
Biography
I am a design researcher and educator interested in advancing social design practices, education and research towards the building of respectful, just and sustainable worlds. Within this research scope, I utilise creative methods for identifying and analysing communities’ tacit knowledge(s), challenges, strategies and actions to mitigate health and wellbeing problems and build upon healthy lives considering their livelihood diversity. These communities’ social assets are poorly (or not) documented although they contribute to tackling health challenges. My work aims to help the development of more effective, responsible and socially just solutions (e.g., public policies, services, systems, technologies) that meet especially the needs and respect the diversity of disadvantaged and underrepresented communities.
Through my design practice and research, I have been building extensive industry and academic experience of developing and implementing transdisciplinary* innovation projects in different settings and cultural contexts in the Global South and North.
*E.g., in collaboration with local communities, a comprehensive array of stakeholders from the private, not-for-profit and public sectors, and experts from different knowledge areas from academia and business.
Areas of Research
Social design, collaborative design, community-oriented design, transdisciplinary design research.