Overview of Work

Worked as a research engineer in the Robotics and Innovation Lab at Trinity College Dublin. Here I taught design, innovation, product development and computing modules, while managing budgets and carrying out research as part of the engineering design team responsible for consulting businesses availing of Enterprise Ireland's Innovation Voucher Scheme.

Design Thinking Mentor

Guided 6 international teams of Masters students through the design process for three commercially driven solutions across manufacturing, health and education sectors.

Worked as part of the global SUGAR design network, which brings students and companies together to solve real world problems over a 9 month design cycle.

Mentored these teams in all areas of the design process covering needfinding, benchmarking, concept design & development, patent research, user research & testing and iterative prototyping based on user feedback. One of these teams (Volymi) went on to receive funding and is currently working on developing their product commercially.

Teaching Fellow

Taught master and undergraduate students the following modules:

  • User Centered Design - The syllabus covered user research, interview & observation techniques, personas, stakeholder & empathy maps, focus groups, needfinding & benchmarking and concept development
  • Innovation in Product Development - An international multidisciplinary module covering user research and analysis of results to be used in an iterative design process developing rapid prototypes for multiple rounds of user testing. Module also covered human factor design, design workshops, user insights, presentation & pitching skills
  • Introduction to Computing - Taught MATLAB to undergraduate students

s

Consulting

Consulted with companies availing of enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher Scheme. Work included user research, data analysis and mechanical design for a diverse range of companies in the manufacturing, medical and educational sectors.

Based on my experience in the waste analytics industry I carried out user behaviour research and designed mechanical concepts for Sensi, a reverse vending machine for recycling plastic bottles and cans. My work was used to convey the MVP to potential investors and verify the usability of their early stage design.

What I learned

  • Improved my design skills while designing visuals, wireframes, videos and documents, using Adobe Creative Suite, for successful applications to Enterprise Ireland for funding.
  • Improved project management while working on multiple projects simultaneously.
  • Gained experience working on global remote teams, even before covid!