Good Design Australia is proud to announce that Dr. Sam Bucolo has been nominated for election to the Board of Directors of the World Design Organization (WDO). Dr. Bucolo is a Good Design Ambassador and long-time Jury Member for the annual Good Design Awards. He will be running for election for the 2019-2021 term with the support and endorsement of Good Design Australia, Australia’s only Promotional Member of the World Design Organization.
Since 1959, WDO Members have met biennially to attend the World Design Assembly which will take place in Hyderabad, India on 11-12 October 2019 where the next Board of Directors will be elected.
Dr. Brandon Gien, CEO of Good Design Australia and former President of the World Design Organization has offered his full support for Dr. Bucolo’s candidacy. “I have known Sam for the past 20 years and I can’t think of a more qualified and talented person to represent Australia and our region in this important role,” said Dr. Gien.
“As a Past President of the World Design Organization, I fully understand the task ahead of WDO as it implements its aspirational vision for design and aligns its objectives to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. I have great respect and admiration for Sam and the work he has done to promote the value and importance of design in our region of the world. I believe he will make a very important contribution to the WDO Board as we continue our transformation from ICSID to the World Design Organization and live up to our brand promise: Design for a Better World,” Dr. Gien concluded.
Below is a brief summary of Dr. Bucolo’s career accomplishments and his Statement of Intent for the WDO Board Election.
Dr. Sam Bucolo
Good Design Ambassador
2019-2021 WDO Board Nominee
Through my career spanning 30+ years as an lndustrial Designer, I have been able to push the boundaries and demonstrate the role and value of design within our ever-increasing complex society. Most recently I have been working on supporting the strategic transformation of Australia’s most critical and trade exposed sectors through design-based practices.
I hope to use my expertise and networks to continue to position Industrial Design at the center of global government policy and industry think tanks. The UN SDG’s provide a platform to focus our efforts and although there has been significant global work undertaken in responding to these goals
through a design-led approach, more urgent effort is now required to ensure we don’t risk just talking about design as part of the solution – but that we show tangible and practical outcomes when design has been positioned strategically at the heart of these global goals.
This approach will require the lndustrial Design community to amplify its collaboration with other design and engineering disciplines to provide a common and consistent voice – lndustrial Designers can’t do this alone – we need to bring all the other professions with us. Most importantly we must provide the evidence of impact to deliver prosperity and grow the standard of living for all, through well-designed solutions and initiatives spanning all sectors of design, architecture, engineering and scientific endeavours.
I am also deeply passionate about providing the necessary support to all our design education institutions to ensure we are preparing our graduates with the skills and knowledge they will require to continue to grow our profession. Our future rests with the next generation of designers and thinkers and we need to ensure they are equipped with the right skills to help bring design-led innovation to some of the biggest challenges facing our world.
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy, (QUT) 2008
Master of Applied Science – Research, (QUT) 1994
Graduate Diploma lndustrial Design, (QUT), 1991
Bachelor of Applied Science – lndustrial Design, (QUT), 1990
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2018 – Design Thinker in Residence, Meat and Livestock Australia
2018 – Adjunct Professor, Swinburne University, Australia
2014-2019 Vice President and Executive Board Member Cumulus Association
2013-2017 Director of lnnovation and Engagement / Professor Design lnnovation, University of Technology Sydney
2009-2013 Professor Design lnnovation, Queensland University of Technology
2008-2009 – CTO Diversionary Therapy Technologies
2003-2008 – R&D Director CRC for lnteraction Design
2000+ – Consultant, Strategic Design SME and MNE.
PRESENT OCCUPATION
I have held senior appointments, the most recent being Design Thinker in Residence for Meat and Livestock Australia. As part of this role, I am responsible for embedding strategic design practices to large industry transformation programs to drive new research opportunities and sector level cultural change. l am also an elected Fellow of the Design lnstitute of Australia and has received an Australian Design Honours from the Australian Design Centre, I also remain a Professor of Design through an Adjunct Professorship with Swinburne University, Australia.