The Department of Design is happy to announce the appointment of Elizabeth B.-N. Sanders, Ph.D. as Associate Professor of Design Research, effective September 2011.

Liz is no stranger here, as she has served as a Senior Lecturer in Design for several years. She will focus mainly on teaching and advising in our graduate degree program, but will also help coordinate research course contents in the undergraduate programs.

Liz's focus is on providing learning experiences in human-centered design thinking and co-creation practices for addressing the significant environmental, social and cultural challenges we face today. She has practiced co-designing across all the design disciplines. Liz is also the founder of MakeTools, a company that explores new spaces in the emerging design landscapes.

She is a visionary in pre-design research, having introduced many of the tools, techniques and methods being used today to drive and/or inspire design from a human-centered perspective.

Liz holds a Ph.D. in Experimental and Quantitative Psychology, and an M.A. in Experimental Psychology, both from the The Ohio State University, and a B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology from Miami University. She will also serve as the keynote speaker for the upcoming Stir Symposium, organized by graduate students in the Department of Design.