News and events

New principal lecturer appointed

Published 6 April 2010

Dr Joan Farrer is joining the university's School of Architecture and Design from April 2010, as a Principal Lecturer/Reader in Design and Materials.

Joan was previously Associate Professor of Design in fashion, textiles, sustainability and materials practice at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand.

Her previous academic posts in the UK include Senior Research Tutor at the Royal College of Art, London, and Senior Research Fellow at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, University of the Arts, London.

With 30 years global fashion and textiles industry expertise, Joan has been a London Technology Network Business Fellow, a peer reviewer for the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and a design and strategy consultant for UK premier industrial fashion and supermarket retailer’s non-food divisions and their home and overseas supply chains.

Currently reviewing and writing for trade and academic publications, Joan has also consulted in conceptual design, research and development, trends, manufacture and retail of fibre, yarn, textiles and clothing from clients in the Far East, Europe and the USA.

She has undertaken strategic sustainability business reporting in the fashion and textiles sector for research institutions, non-governmental organisations, local government, education and industrial international clothing companies. Joan has co-authored and been co-investigator on funded projects supported by EPSRC, Department for International Development, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, AHRC and the European Commission relating to 'intelligent' textiles, sustainability in the fashion textile sector and communication of the issues which has driven her research since the mid 1990s.

Joan also mentors staff in research and teaches emerging new talent at the creative cutting edge in the fashion and textile design and research and development sector. Joan's appointment will see her working across the 3D design and materials practice and fashion and textiles programmes.