Acclaimed authority on design, innovation and sustainability to deliver seminar at UCD

John Thackara, a leading British design expert and a global authority on innovation and sustainability, is to deliver a key seminar next week at University College Dublin.

Entitled Thriving in a no Growth Economy, this seminar isbeing organised by UCD Innovation with the Institute of Designers in Ireland, and is taking place as part of the Innovation Dublin 2012 festival.

For thirty years John Thackara has travelled the world in a search for stories about the practical steps taken by communities to realise a sustainable future. John will use these stories to start a conversation with attendees to outline opportunities individuals and organisations might take, right now, to get involved with ‘regeneration’ design.

John Thackara, image by Ilvio Gallo

Speaking in advance of his seminar, John Thackara said, “There is a growing worldwide movement which is examining how society can progress in a world with finite natural resources. In my forthcoming seminar at UCD I will discuss how ‘regeneration’ rather than ‘consumption’ design can enable society to thrive in a no growth economic setting.” He added, “Practical examples of regeneration design includes computer recyclers, hardware re-mixers, textile upcyclers, local designers, community doctors and ecological teachers.”

During his seminar John will talk from his personal experience about ‘energy angels’, ‘wind wizards’, ‘urban farmers’ and more and explain ways in which design can, or could, help them and us do better.

John is also the author of 12 books including Design After Modernism: Beyond the Object (1987), and Lost in Space: A Traveller’s Tale (1995). His latest book, the best-selling In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World, was published by MIT Press in 2005 and has since been published into nine other languages.

John Thackara’s seminar, entitled Thriving in a no Growth Economy, takes place in UCD’s William Jefferson Clinton Auditorium, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4 on 25 October, 6 pm to 8 pm. For further information and to register to attend visithttp://goo.gl/ayn1n

This event is part of the Innovation Dublin 2012 festival with support from Interreg 4B Open Innovation Project. The Innovation Dublin festival takes place across Dublin from 15-26 October and demonstrates Dublin’s capacity to inspire, interact and innovate. www.innovationdublin.ie

Fast Company has described John Thackara as “…a business provocateur…”. For the Wall Street Journal, he “..has established a global reputation as a cutting edge design expert…” while Wired called him “…a design luminary…”.

ENDS

15 October 2012

For further information contact Micéal Whelan, University College Dublin, Communications Manager (Innovation), t: + 353 1 716 3712, e:miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.