My Expertise
Sustainable product development; product-service systems; design for a circular economy; industrial design and the Sustainable Development Goals
Keywords
Fields of Research (FoR)
Design, Industrial and product design, Sustainable design, Waste management, reduction, reuse and recycling, Design for disaster reliefSEO tags
Biography
Dr Mariano Ramirez is a Senior Lecturer and Discipline Director of Industrial Design at UNSW School of Built Environment. With over 70 publications on design for sustainability and presentations at more than 30 international conferences, he has a solid reputation as a thought leader in his field. He has contributed as a Visiting Academic to 24 universities across 10 countries including China, India, Korea, Mexico, and Brazil. Dr Ramirez serves...view more
Dr Mariano Ramirez is a Senior Lecturer and Discipline Director of Industrial Design at UNSW School of Built Environment. With over 70 publications on design for sustainability and presentations at more than 30 international conferences, he has a solid reputation as a thought leader in his field. He has contributed as a Visiting Academic to 24 universities across 10 countries including China, India, Korea, Mexico, and Brazil. Dr Ramirez serves as a PhD Examiner in 5 Australian universities, as well as in Sweden and Italy. His research concentrates on the environmental sustainability and social responsibility aspects of industrial design, including the promotion of a circular economy through waste minimisation and resource optimisation, enabling responsible consumption behaviours through product design, and leveraging industrial design innovation to tackle the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
My Grants
- Engineering EFFECT (Education Focused Career Support Program) Grant, for "Engineering Enhancing Academic Integrity: Developing an innovative plagiarism detection system for 3D CAD models in engineering and industrial design courses". A$20,000 with Dr Darson Li, Dr Irene Renaud-Assemat, Dr Susann Beier, Dr Miles Park and Mitchell Brown.
- Transport for NSW. For: “Enhancing public space safety for women, girls, and gender-diverse people via temporary smart seating interventions". $120,000 with Gonzalo Portas and A/Prof Sarah Williams of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- NSW Circular Challenge Program 2022. For: ‘Achieving Circularity: Development of a sustainable and scalable model to recycle and reduce the cost of polypropylene waste in hospitals’. $200,000 with Mr Berto Pandolfo UTS, Dr Miles Park UNSW, Mr John Gertsakis UTS, Dr Stefan Lie UTS, Mr Roderick Walden UTS, Mr Anton Nemme UTS, Mr Mark Armstrong Multigate, Mr Mark Stewart Multigate, Ms Wendy Hird NSW-Health.
- University of New South Wales + Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Collaborative Research Seed Grants 2020. For: ‘Circular economy and collaborative consumption: exploring new business models to achieve sustainability within the apparel industry (RG194284-C)’. $20,000 with Dr Veena Rao MAHE.DFAT New Colombo Plan Mobility Grants 2019. For: ‘Industrial Design in Korea’. $49,500.
- DET Endeavour Leadership Program Mobility Grants 2019. For: ‘Sustainable Product Design in Europe’ $26,500
- DFAT Council of Australian Latin American Relations (COALAR) International Relations Grant, 2018. For: ‘South-to-South: Activating Australian-Latin-American Cooperation through Sustainable Design Education (RG180985)’. $44,000 with Dr Liam Fennessy RMIT. In consortium with Universidad El Bosque, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Universidade de São Paulo, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Universidade Federal do Pernambuco, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Federal Fluminense, and Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.
- UNSW Special Studies Programme. For: ‘South-to-South: Activating Australian-Latin-American Cooperation through Sustainable Design Education’. $5,000.
- Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools (ACUADS) Quick Grant, 2018. For: ‘LeNS Oceania Summer Symposium: Strengthening the Australian Learning Network on Sustainability (RG173506)’. $5,000 with Dr Liam Fennessy RMIT.
- UNSW Faculty Research Grants, 2018. For: Design for the Circular Economy in the Australian Furniture Industry. $6,000.
- UNSW Gordon J Samuels International Fellowship Grant, 2008. For: ‘Sustainable Design Workshops in Mexico’, $6,000. Teaching exchange at Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey.
- UNSW International Research Collaboration Grant. 2010. For: ‘Responsible design amongst Indian product designers’, $15,899 with Dr Miles Park and Prof Shashank Mehta.
- UNSW International Research Collaboration Grant. 2010. For: ‘Sustainable design workshops with consumer electronics designers in China’. $25,000 with Dr Miles Park and Prof Benny Leong.
- UNSW Special Studies Programme Grant, 2005. For: ‘Sustainable design workshops in India, China, Hong Kong and Philippines’, $10,000. Teaching exchange at Tsinghua University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and National Institute of Design India.
- FBE Research Link Grants 2013. Environmentally sustainable design practices amongst consumer electronics manufacturing companies. With Anuj Dhawan.
- FBE Research Link Grants 2010. Ecodesign strategies amongst Chinese and American industrial design consultancies. With Jessica Tong and Joseph Louis Tan.
- FBE Research Cluster Initiatives 2007. Encouraging sustainable consumption in urban communities: designing future scenarios for product sharing facilities. With Dr Oya Demirbilek and Catharina Nawangpalupi.
- FBE Research Link Grants 2006. Sustainability practices among Australia’s Superbrands. With Matthew Spruell.
- FBE Research Link Grants 2005. Database of Chinese-language industrial design universities. With Reuben Png.
- FBE Publication & Research Support Scheme 2003. Toy libraries in Australia as a strategy for dematerialized communities.
My Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Technological University of the Philippines, 1998-2001
- Master of Industrial Design, University of New South Wales, 1992-1993
- Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design, Cum Laude, Mapúa Institute of Technology, Manila, 1982-86
- Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Technology and Product Development, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands, 1997
- Graduate Certificate in University Learning & Teaching, University of New South Wales, 2004
- Graduate Certificate in Computer-Aided Design, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, 1988
My Awards
- Emerald Literati Network Award for Excellence 2007. Highly Commended Paper ‘Sustainability in the education of industrial designers: the case for Australia’ in International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education v7n2.
- UNSW Built Environment Learning & Teaching Excellence Award, 2017. For: ‘Excellence in Blended Learning’, $1,000.
- UNSW Built Environment Dean’s Research Excellence Award, 2012. $2,000.
- UNSW Built Environment Associate Dean Teaching Commendation. 2007, 2008, 2009,2010, 2011. For: ‘IDES1101 having some of the top student ratings in FBE’.
My Research Activities
Dr Ramirez has supervised BID honours, MPhil and PhD students at UNSW and has examined dissertations of PhD and MDes candidates from 5 Australian universities. He is a regular contributor to peer-reviewed international conferences and journals on design and sustainability and sits in the scientific review committees of various academic publications. His research interests span various environmental and social sustainability aspects of industrial design, particularly on enabling sustainable consumption behaviours through design and on using product design as a tool for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
- Dematerialization of contemporary lifestyles via sustainable product-service systems and circular economy
- Fostering positive social change and sustainable behaviours through design
- Optimization of product lifetimes through emotional product attachment
- Sustainability integration in industrial design education and practice
- Industrial design as a tool for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
My Engagement
- Editorial Board: Sustainability ISSN 2071-1050 | MDPI Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, Switzerland
- Scientific Review Committee: Journal of Design Research ISSN 1748-3050 | Inderscience Publishers, Geneva
- Scientific Review Committee: Journal of Cleaner Production ISSN 1879-1786 | Elsevier ScienceDirect, Amsterdam
- Scientific Review Committee: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education ISSN 1467-6370 | Emerald Publishing, Bradford
- Co-investigator: Benchmark NSW Smart Seating Temporary Activation Project, 2024
- Co-investigator: Circular Australia Hospital Non-woven Polypropylene Recycling Project, 2024
- Working Group, National Packaging Targets Implementation, 2021-2023
- Steering Committee, Oceanwatch Australia Oyster Industry Recycling Project 2024
- Regional Convenor for Oceania: Learning Network on Sustainability, 2006-present
- Project Leader, South-to-South: Activating Australian Latin American Cooperation through Design for Sustainability Education, 2019
- Philippine Liaison: O2 Sustainable Design Network, 1997-present
- Executive Committee: Society for Responsible Design, 2003-2012
- Design Education Associate Member: Design Institute of Australia, 2012-present
- PhD External Associate Supervisor: University of Technology Sydney, 2010-2013
- PhD External Associate Supervisor: University of Canterbury New Zealand, 2020-2022
- MDes External Examiner: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, 2012
- MDes External Examiner: University of Technology Sydney, 2007
- PhD External Examiner: Swinburne University of Technology, 2021
- PhD External Examiner: Monash University, 2021
- PhD External Examiner: University of Western Sydney, 2009
- PhD External Examiner: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, 2012
- PhD External Examiner: University of Borås, 2022
- PhD External Evaluator: Politecnico di Milano, 2011
- Visiting Academic, De La Salle College of St Benilde, Manila 2005
- Visiting Academic, Hong Kong Polytechnic University 2005 + 2016
- Visiting Academic, Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico 2008
- Visiting Academic, National Institute of Design, India 2005
- Visiting Academic, Tsinghua University, China 2005
- Guest Lecturer, Kookmin University, Korea 2022
- Guest Lecturer, Ewha Woman’s University, Korea 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Hongik University, Korea 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Seoul National University, Korea 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China 2017
- Guest Lecturer, Mapua Institute of Technology, Manila 2005
- Guest Lecturer, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Universidad El Bosque, Colombia 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Universidade Federal do Pernambuco, 2019
- Guest Lecturer, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 2019
- Scientific Review Committee: IASDR2023 Milan
- Scientific Review Committee: ServDes2023 Rio de Janeiro
- Scientific Review Committee: SDS2021 Curitiba
- Scientific Review Committee: E&PDE2013 Dublin
- Scientific Review Committee: DRS//Cumulus 2013 Oslo
- Scientific Review Committee: E&PDE2012 Antwerp
- Scientific Review Committee: WSEAS EDU2008 Venice
- Scientific Review Committee: ConnectED2007 Sydney
- Scientific Review Committee: ASME DTM 2010 Montreal
- Scientific Review Committee: Sustainable Consumption 2011 Hamburg
My Teaching
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by Dr Mariano Jr Reyes Ramirez
ORCID as entered in ROS
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3491-8739