DSI6000 Company Applied Research Design Studio

Dr Nadya Patel, an Assistant Professor in the Business, Communication and Design cluster at the Singapore Institute of Technology, has over twenty years of experience as an educator, researcher and trainer. With a passion for critical design futures thinking for interdisciplinary learning, she co-develops design innovation and multimedia design modules that aim to develop learners' creative confidence and critical competence for the future of work. She leads a faculty community of practice for thinking skills in the disciplines.

At the invitation of local and international institutions, she regularly facilitates professional development workshops on pedagogical approaches to improve teaching and learning practices. Committed to bridging the research-practice gap, she engages industry partners in applied research projects that leverage her expertise and interests. Recent design projects include applying Speculative Design and GenAI for hospitality business transformation with Andaz Singapore and Critical Design Thinking and Experience Design for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with Punggol Regional Library. Over the years, she has also worked with industry partners like Singtel and Social Service Institute to offer industry-relevant workshops on empathetic leadership communication, personal branding, and corporate coaching and mentoring. 

Dr Nadya Patel graduated with a Doctor in Education from University College London, and her current pursuit of a Master degree in Digital Management is a testament to her unwavering commitment to lifelong learning. Dr Nadya has received teaching commendation awards from NUS, a graduate research award from NIE-NTU, an innovation commendation Public Service21 ExCEL (Excellence through Continuous Enterprise and Learning) award and more recently the Singapore Teaching and Applied Research Talent (START) award from MOE. She is a well-regarded educator, highly-rated workshop facilitator and regular presenter at international educational conferences. Dr Nadya, a teacher-researcher at heart, endeavours to remain at the forefront of transformational pedagogical approaches that leverage emerging technologies and transdisciplinary learning.

Associate Professor Jawn Lim is a design futurist and an innovation consultant for companies in properties, healthcare, F&B, hospitality, aviation, technology, and finance. He also serves as a judge for awards in branding, design and technology.

Currently, he serves as a board advisor to Singapore Polytechnic’s Media, Art and Design School as well as the Chief Design Officer at the Singapore Productivity Centre.

As an Associate Professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology, he taught Organisation & Management, Interior Design, Hotel Design, Human Computer Interaction and Digital Experience Design. He is the programme director for the Post-graduate Programme in Design Strategy & Innovation. He has previously taught at the Nanyang Technological University, Rhode Island School of Design and Harvard University.

He holds a Master of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture, an Advance Certificate in Management, Innovation & Technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Doctor of Design from Harvard University. He has facilitated strategic foresight workshops for universities, financial institutions, and property developers.

He is a certified Foresight Practitioner by The Institute For Future and is the founder of the Speculative Futures Singapore Chapter.

Jeffrey Koh is a transdisciplinary creative practitioner with a background in Fine Art, Experience Design, and Engineering Sciences. He has a Ph.D. from the National University of Singapore, and is a certified ACLP and CIRCO trainer.

With his diverse background and expertise, Jeffrey has worked on a range of projects including catwalk and fashion show designs for PRADA, advertising and gallery curation for KesselsKramer, and architecture and exhibition design for the Office for Metropolitan Architecture / Rem Koolhaas.

As a practising artist, Jeffrey has showcased his work in prestigious venues such as the Barbican and Southbank Centre in London, the Singapore Design Festival, and in galleries located in Munster, Berlin, Vienna, Crete, Tokyo, among other world-class venues.

Jeffrey has studied Semiotics and Fashion Photography and obtained his BFA in Monumental Kunst from the Aki Academy of Art and Design (ArtEZ) in Enschede, the Netherlands, as well as an MA in Creative Practice for Narrative Environments from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London, United Kingdom. He also earned a d.MBA in business design in 2021.

Moreover, Jeffrey's research interests have focused on various topics related to HCI, HRI, interactivity, and transdisciplinary experimental creative practice. He obtained his PhD from the National University of Singapore and was a visiting research scholar at Keio University in Japan.

Previously, Jeffrey served as the UX Lead at the National Gallery Singapore, a Peer of the Australia Council for the Arts, a faculty Lecturer at UNSW, Vice President of Transmedia at Villains, and a Partner at Chemistry. He currently serves as an Advisory Board Member at Chemistry, as well as Ngee Ann Polytechnic's School of Design, is a founding member of the World Economic Forum Singapore Chapter, and is an Associate Professor at SIT, focusing on regenerative design and the circular economy.

Dr. Lee Kuan-Huei is an Associate Professor and Director of Programmes in the Business, Communication, and Design Cluster at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). Before transitioning to the education sector, Dr. Lee accumulated over ten years of experience in the hospitality and air transport industry.

Dr. Lee has taught a diverse range of subjects, including Food and Beverage Management, Cuisine & Culture, Organisational Behaviour, Management in Aviation, Introduction to the Hospitality Industry, Entrepreneurship, Food Service Management, and Leadership & Ethics across four programmes at SIT and the Culinary Institute of America (CIA SG). Notably, she holds the position of an appointed Specialist for the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic & Vocational Qualifications.

Certified as a Hospitality Educator (CHE) and having obtained the Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) from AHLEI, USA, Dr. Lee brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her roles. Her scholarly contributions extend to academic journals, book chapters, conference proceedings, and industry case studies, all of which she has developed and utilized as teaching materials.

Dr. Lee's research interests encompass food tourism, organization and management, entrepreneurship, and cross-cultural studies of tourist traveling behaviors. Her multifaceted background and extensive engagement in academia and industry positions her as a valuable asset to the educational landscape.

Ted is an experienced Service Designer, Design Strategy Leader and Learning Designer with more than 20 years of experience in qualitative research, customer experience, service design, and strategy.

Currently Principal Consultant at Encouraging Behaviour in Singapore an Innovation and Customer Experience consultancy, among his clients are Hyper Island, where he worked as Learning Design Director in 2023.

He was selected to establish and grow the Fjord studio within Accenture in 2017. He also co-founded of Lean Innovation consultancy startup Brilliant Basics (acquired by Infosys in 2017) and helped establish the Sapient Singapore studio as Creative Director.

Ted has executed award-winning projects globally for clients across many industries including health, FS, travel, telco and education. Ted has lived in Asia (Hong Kong and Singapore) for over 15 years.

Ted also has over 6 years experience in university education as a Lecturer at Brighton University as well as UT Austin and Rutgers University in the USA.

Some notable recent projects include:

Roche: Helped drive and shape global human-centered strategy rollout focused on “actionable insights.”

Pfizer: Designed and facilitated workshops to rapidly roll out Paxlovid across global markets.

SIA: Helped create a digital customer experience capability.

ADB: Led team that shaped the experience strategy for Asian Development Bank’s digital transformation.

Designing and driving Design Thinking, Lean methods and Innovation programmes for TNB, Changi Airport Group, Petronas, China Light and Power, DHL. BHP, and others.

Leading projects to deliver customer innovation for a range of clients including IRAS, ACRA, NS, HSBC, HKJC, INSEAD and many others.

Serene Kwok is the visionary founder of Bluehive Consulting Asia Pte Ltd, a firm distinguished as an IMDA pre-approved vendor for digital marketing services. As a Professional Singapore Certified Management Consultant, Serene brings over two decades of rich experience in branding, digital marketing, and consulting to the forefront of business transformation. Her expertise is recognised and enhanced by her certification as an ACLP (Advanced Certificate in Learning and Performance) trainer, empowering SMEs to navigate and thrive through comprehensive business transformations since 2015.
 
Holding a Diploma in Accountancy from Ngee Ann Polytechnic and a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Marketing and Management from Monash University, Australia, Serene's educational background lays a robust foundation for her multifaceted expertise. Her commitment to continuous professional development is further evidenced by her credentials as a Certified Sustainability Practitioner and a practitioner in both Design Thinking and PDPA (Personal Data Protection Act).
 
Dedicated to leveraging her extensive experience and specialised skills, Serene has been instrumental in guiding SMEs through pivotal growth and transformation phases, ensuring that they remain competitive and sustainable in the fast-evolving business landscape. Her holistic approach to consulting, grounded in ethical practices and innovative strategies, has made her a sought-after consultant and a trusted partner in the industry.